Edict of Nantes — Religious Tolerance Established

Henry IV signs the Edict of Nantes, granting the Protestant Huguenots substantial rights including freedom of worship in designated areas, access to public offices, and the right to maintain garrisoned towns. The edict ends the French Wars of Religion and provides a model of legal religious coexistence unique in early modern Europe. Its revocation by Louis XIV in 1685 would cause the emigration of 200,000–300,000 Huguenots.