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The St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre (1572) was one of the bloodiest episodes in Early Modern French history. It marked a turning point in the religious wars that devastated France from the 1560s to 1590s. The impact of the massacre was profound. They are generally acknowledged to have The massacre changed the course of French history and initiated a new and bloody chapter in the Wars of Religion. The massacre began as a series of events that changed the Huguenots and weakened the French monarchy. The massacre will also be shown to have failed to have achieved its objectives end the war and instead of ending the war, prolonged it.

Prior the massacres, France had become increasingly divided between Catholics and Protestants in the decades prior to the massacresmid-16th Century. The massacre can only be understood, within the context of French politics and the deep religious hatreds of the times. France had been greatly weakened after the early death of King Henry II in a jousting accident in 1559. This led to a period of profound instability in France, Henry IIs sons all proved to be weak and incompetent rulers. Francis II (1559-60), Charles IX (1560-74), and Henri III (1574-89), were either under the influence of their ambitious mother, Catherine De Medici or various noble families. The country at the same time saw a rapid increase in the number of Protestants. These flourished despite often brutal persecution from by both the Church and State. Many Huguenots as the French Protestants became known hoped to turn the realm into a Protestant kingdom.<ref> Barbara B. Diefendorf, <i>The St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre: A Brief History with Documents</i> (Faber, London, 2008), p. 67, 89</re></ref> The Huguenots were followers of Jean Calvin and they believed that they were the ‘elect’ and that they were destined to be saved, unlike their Catholic neighbors. The Huguenots soon established churches all over France, but they were particularly strong in the South of France. Soon Huguenots and Catholics were living in separate and mutually hostile communities.

The Both the Protestant and the Catholic factions were led by nobles. The Catholics were led by the Guise family, who believed that the Huguenots were heretics that should be exterminated.<ref> Diefendorf, p. 45</ref> The Huguenots by the Admiral Coligny and Henri of Navarre. Violence became common and sectarian massacres became a feature of French life. The Guise family ignited the First war of religion in 1562 when they massacred Protestant worshippers worshipers and it lasted until 1564, in a stalemate. There were two more wars the second in (1567-68) and the third (1568-70), they were all bloody stalemates. These wars were marked by massacres and an endless cycle of sectarian violence. Law and order broke down and bandits roamed the countryside freely. The French king was largely powerless to stop the violence and the wars.<ref> Dienfendorf, p. 75</ref> By 1572 the Huguenots had been able to establish themselves as a powerful force in France, to the disgust of many Catholics. Despite the official end of the third war of religion, the sectarian violence was ongoing and religious rioting was the norm. The French Kings were too weak to either stop the violence or crush the Huguenots. The situation was greatly complicated by the growing power and ambitions of the Guise family and their faction. The French Royal Family were fearful of the growing power of the Guise faction and as a result was keen not to allow them to become too powerful.

After the third war of religion, king King Charles IX or more likely his advisors advisers in order to bring peace to France arranged for a marriage between, the Huguenot leader Henri of Navarre and Margaret of Valois, the sister of King Charles IX, in 1572.</ref> Smither, James."The St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre and Images of Kingship in France: 1572-1574." <i>The Sixteenth Century Journal</i> (1991): 27-29</ref>. They were married in Paris' at the Cathedral of Notre Dame cathedral. A week of celebrations followed in the wake of the marriage and many Protestant nobles and leaders attended these sumptuous festivities. Catherine de Medici, wanted the support of the Huguenots as she became very suspicious of the Duke of Guise’ intentions. The monarchy, also hoped that this marriage alliance of Valois and Bourbon would help to heal sectarian hatred and end a decade of civil war.