JEAN RIBAULT WAS A “HUGUENOT”… WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

The name “Huguenot” is used to describe someone who is a Protestant Christian (not of the Roman Catholic Church ruled by the Pope).
The Encyclopedia Britannica defines it this way: “Huguenot, any of the Protestants in France in the 16th and 17th centuries, many of whom suffered severe persecution for their faith.”

What Exactly Is a Huguenot?
Huguenots were a devout group of Christians known by several names such as French Protestants, Evangelicals, Calvinists, Lutherans and sometimes Reformed Christians. They were persecuted by the Roman Catholic Church, which was powerful in France. One of the most extreme examples of this persecution was the violent St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre in 1572. This event led to the murder of up to 20,000+ Huguenots in Paris and thousands more outside of the city. By the end of the century, there were far fewer Huguenots in France itself due to the French Wars of Religion.  Many of Huguenots fled France for other countries causing a “brain drain” of many leading citizens. Huguenots represented a diverse cross section of people from bankers to fisherman, merchants, teachers, clergyman, carpenters and many nobles of royal blood. Up to 2 million people in 5+ years left the Catholic Church and turned to this “reformed faith” lead by such men as John Calvin and Martin Luther.

WHY DID THEY PERSECUTE THE HUGUENOTS?

• A spiritual awakening known as the Protestant Reformation (started by a monk named Martin Luther in Germany), was raging like a fire across Europe and had come to France. Non-Roman Catholic’s (French Huguenots) were mostly common, every-day people. They were rejecting the rampant corruption of the Roman Catholic Popes and priests.
• In the 1500’s, many of the French leaders were traditional Roman Catholics and despised the new Protestant Reformation lead by men such as Martin Luther and John Calvin. However, the Huguenot movement was rapidly growing in France.
• This Protestant movement (also known as the Protestant Reformation) threatened the power and control of the now tyrannical Catholic Church, over the “regular folks” in France and all over Europe.
• To suppress this anti-Catholic movement and protect it’s power, the Catholic Church unleashed a murderous persecution against Protestant Christians.
  Learn More St. Bartholomew Day Massacre

JEAN RIBAULT & THE NEW WORLD

Why Did He Come To The New World?
What Colonies Did Jean Ribault Influence In The New World?

Jean Ribault came to the New World searching for locations to establish Huguenot colonies. These colonies were intended to be a refuge where Huguenot’s could live and escape the brutal persecution being experienced in France. He was involved in the formation and direction of two primary colonies in the Americas. These were Fort Caroline and Charlesfort. These two colonies were located in what is now known as Florida and South Carolina. They were originally located in close proximity to Spanish settlements in the New World.

JEAN RIBAULT & HIS RETURN TO EUROPE

What Happened When Jean Ribault Returned To Europe?
Jean Ribault returned to France after his first voyage to the New World. When he returned, he realized that the persecution of the Huguenots was getting much worse. In fact, he fled to England to escape the violence. In England, Ribault was captured and jailed under suspicion of being a spy; however, after he was released from the infamous Tower of London, he was once more enlisted by Admiral Coligny to take part in yet another voyage to the New World.

What Problems Arose For Jean Ribault Upon His Return?
For a very short time, Jean Ribault assumed command of Fort Caroline and continued to settle the area with the 800 colonists who had come with him on his second voyage. However, the Spanish had also begun to build up their position in Florida. This presented a serious threat to the French Huguenots. Under the command of Pedro Menendez, Spanish ships engaged in several skirmishes with French ships. Two empires were colliding in the New World and it would not end well for Jean Ribault and the French.

What Was Jean Ribault’s Flagship?
La Trinité was the flagship that Ribault had taken to the New World on his expeditions. It was ultimately shipwrecked in a storm. The wreck was recently found in 2018 near modern-day Cape Canaveral in Florida. It is marked as one of North America’s most significant maritime discoveries. You can Google “Discovery of La Trinité in Florida” for more exciting updates!

THE DEATH OF JEAN RIBAULT

How Did Jean Ribault Die?
Jean Ribault was murdered, along with several hundred other Huguenots, by the Spanish Pedro Menendez de Aviles near present day Daytona Beach, Florida. Menendez had been ordered by the Spanish king to destroy the French colony of Fort Caroline. On the third voyage of 1565. Ribault’s fleet of ships that were headed to St. Augustine, to attack the Spanish were caught in a hurricane force storm. Ribault’s flagship, La Trinite, sank in yet many of his crew, along with Jean Ribault, survived and made it to shore. Ribault was captured by the Spanish and after promises of safety, was executed because he would not renounce his Protestant “Huguenot” faith. The legendary Captain Jean Ribault, who crossed an ocean 3 times to escape religious persecution in France, was ultimately killed in the new world, for being a French Huguenot. Jean Ribault, was born in Dieppe, France 1520 and died near Daytona Beach, Florida 1565.