Politiques are rulers who tended to make religious matters inferior and less of a priority than political matters. These rulers paid less attention to theological doctrine, and focued their attention on political unity of their state. Politiques urged tolerance and compromise in religious issues, and this type of ruling kept religious conflict and civil war to a minimum. Elizabeth I, Henry of Navarre, and William of Orange were all examples of politiques, and lived up to this term by putting political unity ahead of any religious matters to achieve their political goals.
Elizabeth I, who ruled England from 1558 to 1603, was a politique. She took her throne after Mary I, a queen who refused to compromise with or tolerate any religion but Catholicism and left the state in ruins. Elizabeth, on the other hand, focused much of her power on keeping her state strong and united. One way she sought to strengthen the power of England was by demonstrating her nations power on the high seas with the help of seaman Sir Francis Drake, who regulary attacked Spanish shipments to the Americas, and sailed around the world between 1577 and 1580. Elizabeth’s armies also kept England strong by defeating the Spanish Armada in 1588, when the Spanish Armada attacked England with 25,000 sailors. Elizabeth I was most definitely a politique, she put religious matters aside as a queen and focused her power on political unity and strength of her state.
The Term Paper on Political and Religious Differences as Grounds for Divorce
The defendant answered with a cross complaint requesting that he be awarded the divorce and custody of a minor child. The plaintiff's complaint was dismissed and the counter claim allowed. The Supreme Court held that the fact the wife was a member of the communist party at the time of her marriage and refused to continue in the religious beliefs of her birth did not entitle the husband to a ...
Henry of Navarre, French king from 1574 to 1589, was another politique he placed his religious opinions aside and focused on his state’s success. Henry of Navarre converted his religion several times to please different groups and gain power as a ruler, and this in itself evidences a politique way of ruling. However, Henry also demonstrated his religious toleration when, in 1598, he issued the Edict of Nantes, which proclaimed that all Huguenots could have religious freedom. Henry, of Navarre quite obviously a politique, his toleration and compromise in religious matters was very evident.
Another politique was William of Orange, who led an opposition to the Spanish overlords in the Netherlands, was also a politique. He placed political independence above religious beleifes, this politique frame of mind was demonstrated with his multiple conversions to different religions. He had converted to Catholicism, Lutheranism, and Calvinism at different times in his life, all in an effort to keep the state together as a strong nation.
Politiques, some of the most successful politicians in the 16th century, all put political unity and strength ahead of their religious creeds. They urged tolerance and compromise in religious matters, keeping religious trouble to a minimum. Elizabeth I, Henry of Navarre, and William of orange were all politiques, and lived up to this term by placing political goals in front of religious matters.