Which decree revoked the Edict of Nantes in the late 17th century?

• A. Edict of Nantes
• B. Edict of Fontainebleau
• C. Treaty of Westphalia
• D. Peace of Augsburg

Answer: (B)

Religious toleration in early modern Europe could be reversed when monarchs pursued centralized, uniform faith across their realms. In France, Louis XIV aimed to consolidate power and enforce Catholic unity, turning away from granting rights to Protestants. The decree that formally ended the Edict of Nantes and stripped away its protections was issued in 1685 and is known for banning Protestant worship, closing Protestant churches and schools, and forcing many Huguenots to convert or flee—effectively revoking the previous toleration.

The Edict of Nantes itself, issued in 1598, had granted limited rights to Huguenots after years of religious conflict, so it was the later measure that reversed those protections. The Treaty of Westphalia ended the Thirty Years’ War and acknowledged certain religious rights across parts of Europe, but it did not revoke the Edict of Nantes in France. The Peace of Augsburg established a religious rule within the Holy Roman Empire, not in France, so it isn’t related to this revocation.