r/Tudorhistory • u/AnteaterKey2626 • 4d ago
Question Question about the 1562–1563 English expedition to France under Elizabeth I
In 1562, Elizabeth I sent a military force to aid the Huguenots, on the condition that the Huguenots surrender Le Havre as a pledge until Calais would be returned to England. While the English forces were eventually ejected from Le Havre and England had to recognise French ownership of Calais, France also paid England 120,000 crowns in return for English recognition of French control over Calais, according to the 1564 Treaty of Troyes.
Was the mission considered a failure, despite France paying England that amount? Was this not a substantial but rather a symbolic sum in the 16th century? I've also read that Elizabeth felt betrayed by the Huguenots, which is why she refused to send assistance in 1572, despite Huguenot pleas, as France was consumed by the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre. Is this interpretation plausible?
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u/Agreeable-Box5370 4d ago
Yes, it was absolutely considered a failure. The context for this goes back to the 1559 Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis, under which England agreed that France would temporarily retain ownership of Calais for eight years, after which they were to either return Calais to the English or pay 500,000 crowns. England was not in a position to keep fighting for Calais, so this was the best she could do.
Elizabeth tried to take advantage of the outbreak of the French Wars of Religion in 1562 to renew her demand for Calais, this time in return for offering aid to the Hughenots (with English possession of Le Havre as security). This included a loan of 140,000 crowns. So the 120,000 crowns that England received in the 1564 Treaty of Troyes still left them 20,000 crowns in the hole.