At the dawn of the French Wars of Religion (1562-1598), Montpellier in southern France had a significant Protestant minority that controlled the city’s institutions. The Edict of Nantes in 1598 ended the wars and Protestants retained territorial possession of Montpellier as a fortified city. The city returned to Catholic control under the terms of the Peace of Montpellier after a long siege in 1622 led by Louis XIII of France (r. 1610-1643).
