This book examines the history of a single French community over the full course of the civil wars.

List of illustrations; List of tables; Preface; List of abbreviations; 1. Prologue: a provincial metropolis in the sixteenth century; Part I. A City Divided, 1560-1571: 2. The rise of Protestantism and the outbreak of religious violence; 3. The sociology of the rival confessions; 4. 'The most difficult inhabitants of the kingdom'; Part II. In The Wake of St Bartholomew's Day, 1572-1584: 5. A massacre and its impact; 6. Interlude; Part III. The Crisis of the League, 1585-1594: 7. The Sainte-Union comes to power; 8. Penitents as well as militants; 9. Sacrifice and disaffection; 10. Conclusion: the Wars of Religion and the people of France; Appendices; Bibliography; Index.