The Protestantism in Aigues-Mortes

A Meeting with Dark Consequences

In July 1538, Francis I chose Aigues-Mortes to meet Emperor Charles V. Hoping to obtain the coveted Duchy of Milan, the King of France welcomed his rival with great ceremony in the fortified city of Saint Louis. This meeting, marked by celebrations and promises of reconciliation, was meant to open a new era of peace.

However, the agreements made by Francis I had tragic consequences : upon his return, the king ordered the first executions of Protestants in Lyon, marking the beginning of growing religious repression that would deeply shape the kingdom’s religious history.

Aigues-Mortes, a Huguenot Stronghold

Despite persecution, Protestantism spread throughout southern France.

• 1574 : the town came under Protestant control.
• 1576 : the Edict of Beaulieu made Aigues-Mortes a Protestant safe stronghold.
• 1598 : the Edict of Nantes under Henry IV confirmed this status.

The city then maintained a Huguenot garrison of about 2,000 men until 1622, when Louis XIII and Richelieu retook the city. The Protestant governor, Gaspard III de Coligny, handed over the city keys in exchange for a Marshal of France’s baton, marking the end of Protestant autonomy and the beginning of repression in the town.

This period illustrates the strength of local Protestantism and the religious tensions of the 16th century.

The Revocation of the Edict of Nantes

In 1685, Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes : Protestants lost their rights and had to either renounce their faith or flee the kingdom.

From 1686 onwards, Aigues-Mortes became a place of imprisonment for those who refused to convert. The city’s towers, especially the Constance Tower, held hundreds of prisoners. Men, often strong and healthy, were sent to the king’s galleys, while women, some of whom remained imprisoned for decades, endured long and harsh detention.

Figures of Resistance

• Paul Ragatz : a Swiss soldier imprisoned in 1688, he sang psalms that were echoed by the female prisoners in the lower chamber, disrupting prison administration. The authorities eventually ordered the sealing of the oculus connecting the two levels.
• Abraham Mazel : a Camisard leader, he organised a spectacular escape in 1705 with 16 companions using a rope braided from shirts, becoming a symbol of courage and ingenuity.
• Marie Durand : arrested at 19, she spent 38 years in the Constance Tower. She became a symbol of Protestant resistance, with the word “REGISTER” carved into the stone — a call to persevere despite oppression and injustice.

Liberation and Memory

In 1767–1768, the Prince of Beauvau, then governor of the province, ordered the gradual release of the last Protestant women prisoners. The Constance Tower then permanently ceased to be used as a religious prison, ending more than a century of imprisonment marked by suffering, faith, and resilience.

Now transformed into a symbol, the Constance Tower is one of the most powerful memorial sites of French Protestantism. Each stone seems to recall suppressed voices, whispered psalms, and the quiet strength of those who refused to renounce their faith.

Today, as a historical monument and visitor site, it represents a universal heritage : tolerance, freedom of conscience, and courage in the face of oppression.

From stone to memory

The history of Aigues-Mortes, marked by royal grandeur, the Crusades, and religious persecution, shows how heritage can be both glorious and painful.

Preserving its ramparts, monuments, and stories means protecting not only the stone, but also the memory of human struggles and hopes.

By passing this history on to future generations, Aigues-Mortes remains a living witness, carrying universal lessons about tolerance and freedom.