Nice summary of the situation in France a few posts ago, Methuselah. But don't forget the Camisard rebellion. The Huguenots of the Cevennes region had been persecuted for about 20 years - torture, exile, execution, massacres, people sent to work as galley slaves. The decision of these people to remain Protestant in spite of all the king could do to them simply makes no sense if you are thinking in terms of political shenanigans. Certainly they were guilty of attrocities when they finally lost patience and rebelled, and their leader Jean Cavalier was a sell out, but the bulk of these people stuck to their faith when it was a dangerous thing to do, and offered little or no chance of worldly gain.