An uneventful St Bartholomew's Day

the Britannica 2008 article on Gaspard de Coligny said:
At the instigation of Catherine an unsuccessful assassination attempt was made against Coligny on Aug. 22, 1572, in Paris. Charles visited him, promising a full investigation. Catherine, knowing that she would be discovered, played on her son's fears and instabilities by telling him that the Huguenots were plotting to retaliate against him. In an outburst of rage, Charles ordered the deaths of the Huguenot leaders, including Coligny, and the massacre of St. Bartholomew's Day began.

WI the assassination attempt had been successful and the massacre of the Huguenots was avoided?
 
WI the assassination attempt had been successful and the massacre of the Huguenots was avoided?
successful
...



I'd argue that with religious tensions as high they were in France at the time, Coligny's assassination would be just as likely a spark for massive rioting and violence as a failed assassination attempt. Another War of Religion would start sooner or later by that point, and the death of a prominent Huguenot leader would surely start off fighting somewhere.
 
I'd argue that with religious tensions as high they were in France at the time, Coligny's assassination would be just as likely a spark for massive rioting and violence as a failed assassination attempt. Another War of Religion would start sooner or later by that point, and the death of a prominent Huguenot leader would surely start off fighting somewhere.

Considering how many assassinations the Wars of Religion saw, there's no need for that to happen. If it did happen, it would be a massacre of Catholics by Huguenots, it wouldn't take place in fanatically Catholic Paris and it certainly wouldn't have royal approval.
 
Top