The Massacre at Paris

The Massacre at Paris, also known as the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre (1572), was a violent event during the French Wars of Religion. A conflict between Catholics and Huguenots (French Protestants), the massacre began when the Catholic authorities, fearing Huguenot influence, targeted and killed many Protestant leaders in Paris. Over the next days, violence spread across France, resulting in the deaths of thousands of Protestants. This event intensified religious divisions and political instability, marking one of the darkest episodes in French history. It underscored the deadly tensions between opposing religious groups during this turbulent period.