Podcast Summary: Todo Concostrina – “Luis XIV firma el Edicto de Fontainebleau. A la porra la tolerancia”

Host: Nieves Concostrina
Co-host: Carla
Date: October 17, 2023
Podcast: Acontece que no es poco, SER Podcast

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode, with Nieves Concostrina’s characteristic irreverence and wit, examines a major turning point in French history: the revocation of religious tolerance with the Edict of Fontainebleau signed by Louis XIV on October 17, 1685. The discussion situates this event as a monument to intolerance, analyzing its background, context, concrete consequences, and connecting it with the broader dangers posed by religious dogmatism in societal coexistence.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. From Tolerance to Intolerance: The Two Edicts

• Background: The Edict of Nantes (1598) by Henry IV allowed Protestants (Huguenots) to practice their faith peacefully in France.
  • "El de Nantes permitía el culto protestante y que estos prójimos cristianos vivieran tranquilamente en Francia, mientras que el Edicto de Fontainebleau que firmó Luis XIV vino a decir que ni de coña se permitía el culto protestante y que a todo el que no le gustara, aire largo de Francia." (A, 01:18)
• Shift: In 1685, Louis XIV’s Edict of Fontainebleau reversed this, outlawing Protestantism and launching an era of persecution and exile.
• Interpretation: These dramatic changes show how rulers use decrees to reshape societies as drastically as wars or natural disasters.

2. The Personality and Reign of Louis XIV

• Characterization: Concostrina paints Louis XIV as a tyrant obsessed with unity enforced by absolute monarchy and religious homogeneity. She highlights his hypocrisy regarding Catholic values.
  • "Porque el principal precepto de los reyes cristianos es te ordeno que hagas lo que yo digo, pero ojito, te prohíbo que hagas lo que yo hago. Esto solo lo hago yo." (A, 01:56)
  • "Luis XIV era un tirano, era una persona intolerante, con amantes por un tubo, por supuesto, con decenas de hijos e hijas bastardos y muy cruel con sus súbditos." (A, 02:19)

3. Historical Context: From St. Bartholomew to Henry IV

• The St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre (1572):
  • “Fue una masacre que iniciaron los católicos en París una noche de agosto de 1572... fueron asesinados unos 20.000 calvinistas en toda Francia.” (A, 04:56)
  • Suggests that religious conflicts have repeatedly led to violence in France.
• Henry IV’s Pragmatism:
  • Converted back and forth between Protestantism and Catholicism for political survival (“este hombre cambió de religión más que de camisa... La religión que les dé y les mantenga el poder es la que les vale.”, A, 04:12).
  • Established the Edict of Nantes, attempted coexistence: “Ya soy rey. Convivamos. Dejemos a los calvinistas con sus misas y a los católicos con las suyas..." (A, 06:54)
  • Was assassinated for this tolerance.

4. The Push Toward Intolerance Under Louis XIV

• Motivations:
  • Not because the Protestants had done anything wrong, nor were they especially numerous (“No habían hecho nada salvo ser protestantes, pues hacían sus cosas de su religión y tampoco eran tantos. Un 10% de los franceses era protestante.”, A, 08:22)
  • Responses to Catholic and papal pressures, personal authoritarianism of Louis XIV: “una fe, una ley, un rey”.
• Progressive Persecution:
  • Banning Protestant religious leaders from public hospital prayers, restricting participants in ceremonies, banning Protestants from certain professions, and preventing conversions to Protestantism.
  • “A las bodas protestantes no podían acudir más de 12 personas y a los funerales 30 personas como máximo, como si estuvieran en pandemia. Ahí pusieron unas cuotas.” (A, 09:02)

5. Forced Conversions (“Dragonadas”)

• Method:
  • Louis XIV strengthened conversion campaigns by leveraging the law that required citizens to host soldiers (“Dragones”) in their homes—unless they converted to Catholicism. Conversion also came with tax benefits.
  • “Eso se llamaron las dragonadas. Entonces el ciudadano que se negaba a convertirse, pues veía su casa invadida de soldados a los que tenía que dar de comer y de dormir.” (A, 10:35)
• Effectiveness and Unintended Consequences:
  • Led to mass conversions, sometimes for pragmatic reasons rather than conviction.
  • Created discontent among loyal Catholics who received no such tax relief.

6. The Edict of Fontainebleau: Consequences and Atrocities

• Punishments for Non-Conversion:
  • Exile, ruin, loss of property, even death. Protestant worship outlawed, schools closed, pastors exiled.
  • “Empezaron prohibiendo el culto protestante... bautizo obligatorio de todos los hijos... perdías todas tus propiedades...” (A, 11:56)
• Children Suffered Especially:
  • Protestant children under 7 forcibly removed from families for Catholic education; parents had to pay for this forced “upbringing.”
  • “Los niños eran directamente raptados y metidos en conventos, entregados a familias o encerrados en una cosa que crearon que se llamaba Casas de Propagación de la Fe” (A, 13:10)
• Social Impact:
  • Mass conversions led to deep societal divisions, distrust, violence, and a legacy of hatred legitimized by religion.
  • “Aquellas conversiones masivas de hugonotes provocaron una ruptura social irreparable, una tremenda desconfianza ciudadana, una violencia, linchamientos.” (A, 14:06)

7. Reflections on Religion and Tolerance

• Summary Point:
  • The episode closes by pointing out the historical dangers of religious dogmatism, as the edict exemplified the way religions—despite preaching love—“solo propagan odio.” (A, 14:15)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Religious Hypocrisy:

  • "Te ordeno que hagas lo que yo digo, pero ojito, te prohíbo que hagas lo que yo hago. Esto solo lo hago yo." (A, 01:56)

• On Conversion Tactics:

  • "Los ciudadanos que se convirtieran al catolicismo, además de disfrutar de ventajas fiscales, estarían exentos de alojar a los soldados." (A, 10:18)

• On the Cruelty Toward Children:

  • "A los hijos menores de 7 años de las familias calvinistas... los metían en conventos y en monasterios, o se entregaban a familias de raíces católicas para que los criaran. Y esa crianza encima tenían que pagarla a los padres." (A, 12:57)

• On the Broader Implication:

  • “El edicto de Fonteneblo de su Católica Majestad el Borbón Luis XIV oficializó todo lo malo que tienen las religiones, que, ya sabes, venden amor y sólo propagan odio. Todas. Además.” (A, 14:15)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:21–01:18: Introduction to the topic and historical framing
• 01:34–03:20: Character analysis of Louis XIV and the logic of royal decrees
• 03:55–06:16: History of the Edict of Nantes and St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre
• 08:14–10:34: The mechanisms and rationale for persecuting Protestants under Louis XIV
• 10:34–11:49: “Dragonadas” and mass forced conversions
• 11:49–14:15: Immediate impacts and lasting scars of the Edict of Fontainebleau
• 14:15–end: Reflection on intolerance and conclusion

Tone & Style

Nieves Concostrina’s language is incisive and railingly critical, with a trademark blend of historical rigor and sardonic humor. She doesn’t hesitate to call out hypocrisy, especially of the powerful and of religious authorities, nor to draw modern parallels to ongoing issues of intolerance.

This episode is a compelling exploration of a dark chapter of European history, as much a warning about the dangers of authoritarianism and religious intolerance as it is a recounting of past events.