«He will restore peace and quiet to a tormented kingdom»: French humanist Louis Le Roy’s hopes for King Henry III

Abstract

The French humanist Louis Le Roy (c. 1510–1577) devoted most of his life to studying ancient languages and translating ancient Greek authors. However, the Wars of Religion (1562–1598) turned him into a political publicist and thinker. Remaining within the Catholic Church, he distanced himself from the radicals on both sides and called on the French to make peace. Seeing royal power as the only force capable of ending the conflict, Le Roy reflected on the last Valois rulers, assessing their abilities and chances of achieving lasting peace in the kingdom. Charles IX (1560–1574), from his point of view, was clearly not up to the role of the savior of France, was immature and too dependent on the queen mother. The humanist placed his hopes on the heir to the throne, Henry of Anjou (1566–1574), who ascended the throne of France under the name of Henry III (1574–1589). It was this king, according to Le Roy, who had a chance to restore peace and religious unity in France by peaceful means. In the dramatic circumstances of 1574–1576, Le Roy considered it his duty to assist the Crown’s peacemaking efforts, calling on his compatriots to trust and obey the new monarch. He saw obedience as the first and necessary condition for saving