Amboise conspiracy

Conspiracy of Amboise

Depiction of the conspiracy as it unfolded, by Jacque Tortorel and Jean Perrissin
Date	March 1560
Location	Château d'Amboise, Amboise, France
Type	Political and religious plot
Cause	Dissatisfaction with the Guise government
Organised by	Jean du Barry, seigneur de la Renaudie †, Louis, Prince of Condé (1530–1569)
Outcome	Conspiracy crushed
Arrests	Hundreds
Sentence	Capital punishment and amnesties

The Amboise conspiracy, also called Tumult of Amboise, was a failed attempt by a Huguenot faction in France to gain control over the young King Francis II and to reverse the policies of the current administration of Francis, Duke of Guise and Charles, Cardinal of Lorraine through their arrest, and potentially execution. Malcontent factions of Huguenots had been chafing under the French crown since the reign of Henry II and with the arrival of a new young king, saw their chance to take power for themselves. However the plot was uncovered ahead of time, and the Guise were ready for them. As such hundreds would be arrested, and many killed. Louis I, Prince of Condé was suspected of involvement, however he was able to flee south, and it was only after some months that the Guise were able to put him on trial. Shortly thereafter, the sickly Francis II died, their hold on the administration collapsed, and with it the conviction of Condé. This tumult would be one of the key steps in the collapse of crown authority that led to the first French War of Religion.