The Huguenots

Who are the Huguenots?

Huguenots were French Protestants. They are considered to be the first refugees to come to Britain.

Where did the Huguenots migrate from and to?

The Huguenots migrated from France to England.

When did the Huguenots migrate to England?

The Huguenots migrated to England in the middle of the 16th century. A second wave of migration occurred after 1685.

Why did the Huguenots flee France?

The Huguenots left France for the following reasons.

• ❖ They were experiencing religious persecution, as they were Protestants in Catholic France.
• ❖ The French Wars of Religion occurred from 1562 to 1598. Protestant Huguenots were persecuted during this time, for example, in the St Bartholomew's Day Massacre of 1572.
• ❖ When the Edict of Nantes was revoked in 1685, persecution of Protestants resumed in France. This started the second - and main - wave of migration.
• ❖ As England was a Protestant country, the Huguenots felt they would be welcomed there, and able to practise their religion.

What happened during the first wave of Huguenot migration?

There are four key details about the first wave of Huguenot migration:

• ❖ Many French Protestants began to flee from France. England was ideal as it was close and had become Protestant during the English Reformation. They were welcomed as refugees.
• ❖ Edward VI allowed the first French church to be set up - the Church of Foreigners.
• ❖ Elizabeth I's ministers invited Huguenot craftsmen to work, and teach their skills to apprentices.
• ❖ Elizabeth also offered asylum and protection for those who had fled persecution.

How many Huguenots migrated to England?

Up to 200,000 Huguenots fled France in total. Up to 50,000 fled to England, facing a dangerous sea crossing.

What was the significance of Huguenot migration to England?

Huguenot migration to England was significant for various reasons.

• ❖ Skilled Huguenot craftsmen worked to revamp English industry. This included industries such as gun-making, watch-making and bookbinding.
• ❖ Paper mills were established in England, which had previously relied on imports from France. In total, there were 200 paper mills which supplied 70% of the paper market in Britain.
• ❖ Scientists, intellectuals and experts were also among the refugees.
• ❖ As a result, the Huguenots played an important role in Britain's economic development, while their links to merchants in Europe helped to establish profitable trade links.
• ❖ The Huguenots also invested their wealth in Britain. Many contributed to the establishment of the Bank of England, and the first governor of the bank was a Huguenot.
• ❖ The Huguenots were an example of successful assimilation, as they learned to speak English, and worshipped in the Protestant way.
• ❖ The Huguenots also assimilated by marrying into English families. It is estimated that a quarter of London's population has some Huguenot blood.

Who opposed the Huguenot refugees?

Some people in England opposed the arrival of the Huguenots as they believed that they were taking their jobs and that they were full of diseases. An MP from Bristol compared them to the plagues of Egypt in the Bible.