Siege of Paris (1590) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Siege of Paris
Part of the French Wars of Religion
Date 7 May – 30 August 1590 Location Paris, Kingdom of France Result Catholic and Spanish victory Paris was successfully relieved for the Catholics
Belligerents
French Royal Army Kingdom of England French Huguenot forces	City of Paris Catholic League of France Spanish Empire
Commanders and leaders
Henry IV of France Peregrine Bertie	Duke of Nemours Duke of Parma
Strength
12,000 rising to 25,000	Approx. 30,000–50,000 (defenders and relief army)

The Siege of Paris happened from May 7 to August 30, 1590. It was a major event during the French Wars of Religion, which were a series of conflicts between Catholics and Protestants in France. During this siege, King Henry IV and his army tried to take control of Paris. His army included French Protestants, known as Huguenots. However, they could not capture the city from the Catholic League. Paris was eventually saved when a combined Catholic and Spanish army arrived, led by Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma.

Why Paris Was Attacked

The Fight for the French Throne

After a big win at the Battle of Ivry on March 14, Henry of Navarre (who would become King Henry IV) moved his troops toward Paris. He wanted to take Paris because controlling the capital city would help him become the recognized King of France. At this time, many people did not accept him as king because he was a Protestant. Paris was a very large city, with about 200,000 to 220,000 people living inside its walls.

The Siege Begins

Surrounding the City

On May 7, Henry's army completely surrounded Paris. They blocked all ways in and out of the city. To stop food from reaching the people inside, Henry's soldiers even burned down windmills nearby. These windmills were used to grind grain into flour, which was a main food source.

Who Was Fighting?

At the start, Henry had about 12,000 to 13,000 soldiers. The city of Paris, however, had many more defenders, estimated at around 30,000. Most of these defenders were local citizens who had formed a militia. Henry did not have many large cannons for attacking city walls. Because of this, he planned to force Paris to give up by starving the people inside. The city's defense was led by a young man named Charles Emmanuel, Duke of Nemours.

Bombarding Paris

Henry set up his cannons on the hills of Montmartre, which gave him a good view of the city. From there, his army fired cannonballs into Paris. In July, Henry's army grew stronger when more soldiers joined him, bringing his total force to 25,000. By August, his troops had taken over all the areas just outside the city walls. Henry tried to talk to the people of Paris and get them to surrender. But they refused his offer, and the siege continued.

King Henry IV outside Paris in August 1590, painted by Jean-Charles Tardieu

Help Arrives for Paris

On August 30, good news reached the people trapped in Paris. A Spanish and Catholic army, led by the Duke of Parma, was on its way to help them. This relief army successfully broke through Henry's blockade and brought much-needed food supplies into the city. After one last attempt to attack the city's defenses failed, Henry decided to end the siege. He pulled his army back on September 9. Sadly, between 40,000 and 50,000 people in Paris died during the siege, mostly from starvation.

What Happened Next

Henry IV Becomes King

After trying and failing several times to capture Paris, Henry IV made a big decision. In 1593, he converted to Catholicism. He is famously quoted as saying, "Paris is well worth a mass." This meant that becoming Catholic was worth it if it meant he could finally rule France from its capital.

Peace for France

The people of Paris were tired of the war. They turned against the hardline members of the Catholic League who wanted to keep fighting even after Henry became Catholic. In 1594, Paris joyfully welcomed Henry, who had once been a Protestant. He was crowned King of France that same year. Four years later, he issued the Edict of Nantes. This important document aimed to bring an end to the religious conflicts that had divided France for so long.