ABSTRACT
The author traces the rising hopes in Henri of Navarre as saviour at the end of the religious wars, and dwells on the significance of his conversion as a fatal blow to the Catholic League raising possibilities of some general solution of the religious question. He next discusses the traditional role of the French monarchy in Europe and analyses the symbolism through which Henri IV was presented as a Gallic Hercules with a world mission. The projects for a new Council of the Church are examined, a Council in which it was hoped that the moderating Gallican influences overridden at the Council of Trent would prevail, under the auspices of Henri IV. Next come chapters on two eirenists in the circle of Henri IV whose lives were spent in the cause of religious reunion, Jean Hotman and Jean de Serres. Though Jean Hotman is moderately well known, he has never been studied so fully as in the chapter on him here, which brings out his importance as a religious
reunionist belonging to the Henri IV group. Jean de Serres is a very little-known figure, now brought to life in a long study in which, again, the interest is centred on his importance as an eirenist. Hotman and De Serres, as presented in this book, stand out as the two most important figures working for religious reunion from the Protestant side, and with the blessing of their master the King of France.
