L'Hospital, Michel

(1504-1573)

   political figure

   Born in Aigueperse, Puy-de-Dôme, Michel L'Hos-pital studied at Padua, italy, and, through his father, who had remained loyal to the Bourbons during their exile, entered the service of marguerite de navarre, serving as her chancellor. He later served as chancellor to the parlement, president of the Chambre des comptes, then as chancellor of France (1560). He pursued a dual policy of administrative reform and compromise and appeasement in religious matters. He was responsible for the Edict of Romorantin (1560), which prevented the inquisition from being established in France, the Colloquy of Poissy, which tried to reach a compromise between Catholics and Protestants, the ordinance of orléans, which, following the example of the estates general (1560-61), granted to the Reformed Church, with certain limits, a degree of religious freedom, and undertook administrative reforms followed by the ordinances of Roussillon (1564) and Moulins (1566). While his administrative reforms succeeded, L'Hospital was not able to achieve his plan of religious reconciliation, and the ordinance of orléans had, as a direct consequence, the massacre of Wassy (1562), which began the religious wars in France. Powerless, L'Hospital retired in 1568, escaping the saint bartholomew's day massacre of 1572. L'Hospital was also a patron of the arts, encouraging the Pléiade group of poets and composing Latin poetry himself. His other writings include a Traité de la réformation; Harangues; and Testament politique.