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Florida’s Hidden Huguenot History

Florida’s Hidden Huguenot History

The Protestant Reformation had spread from the Wittenberg Cathedral Door into the capitols and countrysides of all the provinces, duchies, and nations of Europe by 1560. The Holy Roman Emperor (neither holy nor Roman, actually), The Catholic kings and princes, and not the least of all, the Pope in Rome, did not stand still while the “Solas” of the Reformation took root among scholars, monks, priests, abbots, and the people of the parishes of Christendom. Threats, heresy trials, burnings, counter-evangelism and, of course, war, spread throughout the realms. In France, where the King was paramount in the Roman church, the fires of Reformation spread too hot and too far to quench with normal procedures.

Join us in Florida February 11-13 as we explore Huguenot Fort Caroline in Jacksonville, the “Fountain of Youth”, and the magnificent Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine. We will also tour the premier pirate museum in the country and attend the reenactment of the Civil War battle of Olustee. Register today to secure your spot!

Many noblemen embraced the new old faith, reading the vernacular Scriptures and the texts emanating from Frenchman Jean Calvin in Geneva, among others. God raised up the Admiral of France, Gaspard de Coligny, Seigneur de Chatillon, to lead the Protestant Church of France. The Reformed adherents were known as Huguenots. When the King sent armies against the Protestants, de Coligny took to the field to contend for the survival of the Reformation saints of France.


French Admiral Gaspard de Coligny

When the wars died down for a while, the Admiral’s thoughts turned to the spread of the Gospel and French culture to other parts of the world. His enemies (and France’s), Spain and Portugal, were sending missionaries to all the conquered people of South America. A small group of Protestants were commissioned by de Coligny to begin a mission and settlement of their own on the coast of Brazil. Betrayed by a secret traitor, the young colony was wiped out. Not to be deterred, the Huguenots sent a bigger and stronger expedition to settle along the St. John’s River on the coast of Florida in 1564. They built a fort near the modern city of Jacksonville, Fort Caroline, under the leadership of explorer Jean Ribault and Governor Rene’ de Goulaine de Laudonniere.

The robust Huguenot colony got off to a good start. They brought families to insure multi-generation survival and social stability. They established good relations with the local tribes, unlike the Spanish who had a strong tendency to abuse, take advantage of, and enslave the natives. Although there were no Spanish settlements, Ponce de Leon had claimed all of Florida for the King of Spain, presaging the inevitable clash when the French arrived.


Huguenot Fort Caroline


Bill Potter Addresses Florida Tour Attendees

When the Spanish king heard of the French settlement, a Protestant one at that, he dispatched an expeditionary force led by one of the most violent and uncompromising hit men available, Pedro Menendez de Aviles. The new Spanish Governor established a base at St. Augustine and launched an attack north on foot against Ft. Caroline. Ribault sailed to attack by sea with the main portion of his men; the French were blown off course and shipwrecked south of St. Augustine. Menendez de Aviles surprised the Fort Caroline garrison, captured the survivors of the attack and massacred all the men and enslaved the women. The survivors of Ribault’s force was likewise captured and massacred. And so ended the first Protestant attempt at settling in North America. The question arises, why did God in His providential plan, allow Roman Catholic Spain to settle Florida?


Inside Fort Caroline

As in all speculations regarding why God ordains history to follow the course it does, we can only bow to His Sovereignty. “Nay but, o man, who art thou that repliest against God?” (Romans 9:20) In the course of time, the English settled at Jamestown in 1607 and English-speaking men became the recipients of God’s favor in settling North America between Florida and Canada. The Huguenots would bless and enrich many places in the world through their dispersal to places that, included America, South Africa, Holland, and England. The Catholic French would get Canada temporarily, but that is another story in the complex tapestry of history woven by the Creator.


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