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Religious riots in France during the sixteenth century were a direct result of the tensions between Protestants and Catholics. The rioters felt a sense of legality and legitimacy, and carried out their violent acts in ways specific to their own beliefs. Rioters legitimized their acts through feelings of religious duty and commitment. Riots occurred because numerous religious teachings to exterminate other denominations were interpreted as God’s will. “If thy brother…entice thee secretly, saying …

…riots were very violent; bodies were mangled even more after death and deliberately fed to dogs. The Protestants paid little attention to Catholic corpses, as they did not believe in p! urgatory. The religious riots of sixteenth century France were not random acts of violence. Rioters justified the legality and legitimacy of their violent acts through religious goals, government example and societal dehumanization, and had different riotous practices due to contrasting denominational beliefs. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Bibliography**