AHC/WI: Occitania Breaks Away from France during the French Wars of Religion

[TickTock The Witch's Dead]

What if the Huguenot rebels in Southern France decide to break away from France and declare their own state? What would it be called? And could there be an impetus to declare independence? Who would be the ruler of this new country? And could it maintain its independence?

And how will an independent Occitania impact the history of France and its other neighbors?

 

[HunterX]

The Calvinist nobility was not seeking to create an independent state. If they had to means to break away, they wouldn't need to as they'd be strong enough to break royal power and keep their privileges.

I don't think it could maintain its independence, not with an openly hostile Spain certain to intervene.

 

[TickTock The Witch's Dead]

The Calvinist nobility was not seeking to create an independent state. If they had to means to break away, they wouldn't need to as they'd be strong enough to break royal power and keep their privileges.

I don't think it could maintain its independence, not with an openly hostile Spain certain to intervene.

An independent Occitania could find allies among England.

 

[Sarthak]

An independent Occitania could find allies among England.

The late 1500s iwhen the wars of religion took place, England and France were de facto allies.

 

[TickTock The Witch's Dead]

The late 1500s iwhen the wars of religion took place, England and France were de facto allies.

Didn't England support the Protestants during the wars?

 

[kasumigenx]

An independent Occitania could find allies among England.

The last time Occitania tried to have help with England it resulted in a couple of hundred years of war and bloodshed.

 

[funnyhat]

Rather than declare independence as a totally new state, a more likely scenario would be for the kingdom of Navarre to try to expand and incorporate Huguenot-controlled areas. In a TL where the Valois have male heirs, so that Henri de Navarre has little chance at the French throne, this could be possible. I don't think Navarre would think of itself as an Occitan state, though. French Protestants generally used French as their lingua franca for synods, Bible translations, etc.