Protestantism in France From Death of Francis I to Edict of Nantes - James Aitken Wylie

Chapter 12
Synod of la Rochelle
WE left Protestantism in France, and its
greatest champion, Admiral de Coligny, reeling
under what seemed to be a mortal blow. The Prince
of Conde was dead; the battle of Montcontour had
been lost; the army mostly lay rotting on the field;
and a mere handful of soldiers only remained
around the standard of their chief. Many who had
befriended the cause till now abandoned it in
despair, and such as still remained faithful were
greatly disheartened, and counseled submission.
Catherine de Medici, as we have seen, thinking that
now was the hour of opportunity, hastened to deal
what she did not doubt would be the finishing blow
to the Protestant cause, and to the man who was
preeminently its chief. It was now, in the midst of
these misibrtunes, that Coligny towered up, and
reached the full stature of his moral greatness; and
with him, rising from its ashes, soared up anew the
Protestant cause.
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