Presentation of the Camisards war
"Missionnaires bottés et Camisards" is a campaign for the game "Legends of the High Seas", from Warhammer Historical, under the French Camisards war, a period that extends from about 1689 to 1715, under Louis XIV. You must have the original rulebook to play.
This campaign allows you to recreate the skirmishes that have marked this period, as battles on a larger scale that took place during the Camisards war (one hundred figures on each side).
As in the original rulebook, a list of costs allows each player, depending to the played faction, to compose groups. Each player can take between 200 and 1000 points of characters and equipment, which representing between fifteen and a hundred miniatures by camp. The characteristics of weapons and characters are given in this article.
All scenarios are played on a square table 4 ft by 4 ft. Players can choose to play on a surface smaller or larger depending on the size of their group. But before say you more, I give you a small reminder of the historical context to introduce the campaign.
Missionnaires bottés et Camisards: the revolt of the Cévennes
The beginnings (1656 - 1679)
Louis XIV, concerned about foreign policy, is nevertheless aware of the need to regain a national religious unity. Indeed, the Religion Prétendue Reformée ("Alleged Reformed Religion" or RPR, French protestants) is for him a pain appeared following the behavior of the clergy in the past century, a schism that must be brought to disappear after the Catholic Reformation. In this sense he proclaims, on 18 July 1656, the war to heresy and plans to send in the provinces commissioners for a strict enforcement of the Edict of Nantes.
But this politic of religious unity is not implemented until spring 1661. At the request of the Catholic clergy, the commissioners can be sent to verify the exercise of the terms of the Edict of Nantes in the RPR's sites, edict that was confirmed again in 1656. These commissioners are traveling in pairs, usually Catholic steward of the place and a Protestant magistrate, accompanied by a member of the Catholic clergy, always hostile to the reformed church. In case of dispute between the two commissioners, the king's council ends the debates mostly in favor of Commissioner Catholic. Hundreds Protestants' places of worship are closed in France between 1661 and 1669.
The year 1669 marks however a slight relaxation in the politic of Louis XIV. Two phenomena are in cause: the preparation of war against the United Provinces, between 1672 and 1678, and also the case of the extension of the regale right, a subject of quarrel between the king and the Pope, who began in 1673.
As a result, although discrimination in everyday life remains, the new measures to obstruct the RPR are proclaimed at a slower rhythm and involve more outward signs of belonging to Protestantism. In 1676, the Fund of Conversions is created. The objective is to financially reward the "New Converted" (those who abjure and return to Catholicism), but this idea is a failure and the number of conversions "bought" is minimal.
Although calm seems to return in the highest spheres of government, the tone continues to rise between the parties in provinces. The Catholic clergy is trying to close the last Protestant's churches, ministers and elders of the RPR are molested, and Protestant cults are troubled by the invasion of thousands of Catholics. Immediately after the peace with the United Provinces, the "stifling at small gulp" resumed and new measures are taken against the religion, always in an apparent willingness to respect the Edict of Nantes "in the rigor", in its strictest interpretation.
The missionaries in boots (1679 – 1685)
Face with the signs that inform them that the government decided their loss, Protestants react with the available means to deal with measures taken against them: royal decisions, when they are not ignored, are disputed and are members are sent to the royal court to present the complaints of his subjects. Children are sent abroad for their studies. A counter-found is created to help persecuted Protestants.
In 1678 will draw the first lines of a popular revolt. Some reformed ministers and pastors try to organize resistance and get some coverage in the Cevennes, the Dauphiné and the Vivarais, where opposition groups are formed. But this remains peaceful revolt: they claim the right to assemble, pray and sing, them assure to the king the dedication of his subjects of the RPR.
Firmacon's dragoon, one of the regiments sent
in the Cévennes to submit the insurgent
In 1681, Louvois, then secretary of state for the war, on a request of the intendant of Poitou, Marillac, house dragons among residents of this region. This is not unusual for this period; the army counting more men than can contain barracks. But Marillac, to accelerate the conversion of Protestants, makes free Catholics and New Converted to the obligation of housing, so only reformed must fill this need. All excesses are encouraged, although the killing is prohibited. From May to November of that year, these missionaries in boots cover the region, plundering and destroying the Protestants' properties. The results are inevitable: 30000 abjurations obtained by this means. But such practices raise the turmoil in Europe and to the Court. Colbert warns the king about the economic loss that represents the exit of the Protestants: in some regions, up to one for ten are leaving the country to find a refuge in Berlin, in Holland and in Geneva, which all become places of hostility to France. Louvois was forced to recall the Dragons in February 1682.
But the royal line remains unchanged. Regularly, new declarations come and restrict freedom the RPR's worship. The same year 1682, by the declaration of August, the Protestants are forbidden to assemble, except in the temples and in the presence of a clergyman. This declaration was subsequently reinforced in May 1683, where places are required for Catholics in reformed temples, in August 1684, where pastors can not stay more than 3 years in the same place, in December 1684, where the exercise of RPR is prohibited in places where there are less than ten Protestant families. "Pressures" exerted on the Protestants accompany each of these declarations. Many pastors, who refuse to retract, are sent to the galleys or are hanged.
The king has in any case no other choice. His opponent, the Emperor Leopold the 1st of Habsburg, winner of the Turks in Vienna, is considered the hero of Christianity while France refused to participate in the conflict. For his part, Louis XIV was struggling with the papacy, which refuses to invest the bishops of France, which relays the center authority. To consolidate his position among the Catholic princes, the king tries to succeed where Charles V failed: obtaining a religious unity. At that time, figures speak for themselves: it is reported to Louis XIV never less than 250 to 400 New Converted a day. At this rate, the king is entitled to believe that his kingdom is now entirely Catholic or going to become. He must speed things up and, from 1685, several laws are taken against the pastors, temples and fugitives.
After the crisis between France and Spain, and the peace of Ratisbonne in early 1685, the army is again used to "root out heresy" and give the "coup de grace". The expedition of May 1685 in the Béarn is the first known as "dragonnades", although the infantry participated widely. At the sight of troops, conversions become by thousands. Seeing the long lists of abjurations, Louis XIV can be convinced that the Edict of Nantes is useless and revoke it by the Edict of Fontainebleau, October 18, 1685.
Revocation of the Edict of Nantes and preachers (1685 – 1702)
If the Edict of Fontainebleau ordered the destruction of all temples, condemns the practice of the reformed worship, condemns the practice of teaching the children in the RPR and prohibits to non-converted Protestants (those who do not abjure) to leave the kingdom; article 12 provides an ambiguous clause. Indeed, it gives citizenship to Protestants, as they do not come together and do not observe the reformed religion. This clause, probably added after discussion with the Dauphin and Vauban, who are concerned about the exit of Protestants, can also be seen as a way to calm the reactions of other States against the revocation.
Edict of Fontainebleau, October 1685
National Archives, Museum of the History of France
However, the measure is not followed. A soon as the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, dragonnades rise in violence and become widespread, reaching the valley of Piedmont. Only Paris, too close from Versailles, and the Alsace, protected by the Treaty of Westphalia, are preserved from missionaries in boots. Even during the War of the League of Augsburg (1688 - 1697), no relief is given to Protestants. However, the alliance of Protestants countries worried Louis XIV. Fearing a revolt, he ordered the reformed to lay down their arms on October 16, 1688.
Effectively, in this context, and in the absence of pastors to temper their initiatives, the first preachers and prophets are emerging. They urged Protestants to gather, to expel the traitors from their ranks and form battle plans. Electrified against the royal power, these leaders encourage their flocks to fight, armed with forks, scythes and sticks, against the king's army. Churches are emptying to clandestine meetings (known as the "Deserts") where some preach openly the revolt and the elimination of persecutors.
In reaction, the royal power brings many agitators, especially in the Cevennes and Languedoc, to galleys or in deportation in the American colonies. The Assemblies of the Desert are tracked, but reformed cannot be arrested without fights. At the end of summer, 1689, through the War of the League of Augsburg, an illegal armed meeting is held at La Can de l'Hospitalet (Lozère) for an uprising, while the Protestant Powers are trying to invade France. But this improvised uprising failed and the repression is bloody.
In 1697, the reformed Frenchmen are forgotten during the Ryswyk peace between France and the Protestant Powers. By the declaration of December 13, 1698, Louis XIV agreed that the Edict of Fontainebleau is a failure and that the reformed religion is still present in France. New measures are taken against Protestants, like the imprisonment of the parents who do not send their children to religious instruction or who do not go themselves to it, or also the obligation of Catholic marriage: any child born of an illegal marriage is declared illegitimate (and so, by the edict of February 1556 still in force, he can not inherit from his parents).
The Camisards war (1702 – 1715)
Where the first generation of preachers has failed, a second is better organized, more violent. In spring 1702, taking advantage that the troops are mobilized for the war of the Spanish Succession; a call for holy war is launched by the prophet Abraham Mazel to hunt Languedoc Catholic clergy and rescue the victims of persecutions. The murder of the priest of Chayla, issued from a noble family of Gévaudan and inspector of the religious police of the intendant, on July 24, 1702, marks the beginning of the Camisards war. By small armed groups, including hundreds of men, insurgents roam the Cévennes and face the royal troops. They are led by their preachers, pastors for the most improvised, but also by former soldiers, like Jean Cavalier and Gédéon Laporte.
These "Camisards" (who, according to Diderot, may be named like this either because they are fighting shirt, either because they give the "camisade", the night attack) adopt a new tactic: the guerrillas. Taking advantage of both their knowledge of the terrain, the geography of the region and the support of the people, they harass by small groups the royal troops and organize various break-in. If the initial fights are undecided and are focused on obtaining firearms, but the royal troops are quickly overwhelmed and are unable to respond effectively. The Alès garrison (60 riders and about 300 infantry soldiers) is defeated on December 24, 1702 by a hundred Camisards surprised in a Christmas celebration. A month later, the Comte de Broglie, commander of the Languedoc's troops, is defeated near Nimes. The Marshal of the Montrevel replaces him February 14, 1703.
Nicolas Auguste de La Baume, marquis de Monterevel, maréchal of France
From that date, in response to attacks of the Camisards, Catholics bourgeois militias, as the "Florentins" and the "Cadets de la Croix", will be trained to fight alongside royal troops, using the same techniques as insurgents. Montrevel pursues a politic of burning in the Cévennes: while entire villages clash, others are evacuated by force before being burned. Until March 1704, 474 hamlets are burnt.
The "Brûlement des Cévennes" - Samuel Bastide
But the conflict is in an impasse, even worse, it extends: the Rouergue rises in September 1703, followed by Vivarais in February 1704. A month later, on March 14, in Martignargues (Gard), six hundred infantrymen and fifty riders of a regiment of the French's navy are caught into an ambush by Cavalier and his men. The royal troops are routed. It is not until April 16, 1704, that Montrevel can give a serious blow to Camisards at Nages (Tarn). But the replacement of Montrevel by the Maréchal de Villars is already programmed.
Villars takes advantage of the Montrevel's victory to negotiate with Jean Cavalier, and treats him as the Camisard's warlord. Peace is achieved and Cavalier is allowed to leave the territory. But he is disavowed by his troops, who continue the fight until the end of May 1704.
Divergences appear within the Camisard movement about the cessation of hostilities and most of the leaders finally lay down their arms until October 1704. Some exile and the movement of revolt will not know more than a few jolts quickly stifled. In 1710, Mazel try to take advantage of the long-awaited landing of English at Sète to raise the Vivarais, but it is a failure. The remaining Camisards' leaders are executed or exiled.
References
To learn more, I recommend the websites below (all have English translation):
* http://www.camisards.net/
* http://www.museeprotestant.org
* http://museedudesert.com/
And the following books (I think that only the first has an English translation):
* The Edict of Nantes and its revocation, Janine Garrisson. Editions of the Threshold, Paris
* La Guerre des Cevennes (6 volumes), Henri Bosc, ed. Les Presses du Languedoc
* Les Camisards, Philippe Joutard, ed. Folio Histoire
* Comprendre La Révolte Des Camisards, Marianne Carbonnier-Burkard, ed. Ouest France, ed. Ouest France
* Les protestants dans la France moderne, Didier Boisson et Hugues Daussy, ed. Belin
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