Huguenots in Great Britain: Difference between revisions

A Protestant Reformed Church or a religious group called Huguenots (and known in earlier times as Walloons), which based its beliefs on the Christian teachings and philosophies of mostly John Calvin. These Protestants converted in significantly large numbers from Catholicism throughout especially France, but also in Switzerland, Belgium, Northern Italy and other countries of Europe. Due in large to hostile penal laws that forced them back to Catholicism, many fled into exile. France’s penal laws targeted the whole Protestant movement, the Walloons (1560’s to 1650’s) and later, the Huguenots (1680’s to 1700). Refusal to renounce their religion, meant tremendous persecution, barbaric treatment, torture while imprisoned, confiscation of lands, property, implements of trade, seizure of all assets, or, ultimately death as martyrs to their faith. Huguenots settled in other lands throughout Europe, Great Britain, Scandinavia, South Africa, North America, British West Indies and etc. Huguenot migrations and settlements in the realm were an expression of a causal effect of this wave of religious persecution and oppressive culture by the French government. Numerous settlements are found throughout Great Britain, and Ireland as early as the 1500’s. Records survive as early as 1567 [see table on pg 4].