Gaspard de Coligny

Gaspard de Coligny commanded Huguenot forces at the Battle of Saint-Denis against the royal army. The battle was indecisive, but the Huguenots failed to capture Paris. Coligny's leadership solidified his position as a key Huguenot military commander.

Coligny negotiated the Peace of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, which granted Huguenots limited religious freedom and control of several fortified towns. The peace allowed Coligny to return to court and gain influence over King Charles IX.

An assassination attempt was made on Gaspard de Coligny in Paris, allegedly ordered by Catherine de Medici and the Guise family. He was shot but survived. This attack set the stage for the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre two days later.

Gaspard de Coligny was killed during the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre, when Catholic mobs murdered Huguenots in Paris. His body was mutilated and thrown from a window. His death marked a turning point in the Wars of Religion.