Aigues-Mortes' camisards, united until death comes
And also
The tops
1704. In tower Constance, people crowed in together. Women from one side, men from other side. Sick people too. Their fate? Death or galleys… Their crime? To be Protestant.
Because in 1685 the edict of Nantes was revocated. Protestants had to run away from France, taking shelter in Holland of England.
But in several spots in France, some of them tried to resist, practising their faith, like in Cévennes area (in Languedoc). They even killed Catholic priests.
They? Who?! The Camisards ("Calvinist partisans"), called like this because they wore white shirts (from French chemise, "shirt").
Among them, 2 leaders: Jean Cavalier et Pierre Laporte. And 2 women, Catherine et Marthe Bringuier de Cornély.
Catherine was Pierre’s wife. Marthe’d become Maillet’s wife, Pierre’s lieutenant. And after their weddings, they were arrested, denounced by a traitor. The 2 women had time to run away. Cruel parting!
Pierre was killed, shot by a deadly bullet. Maillet was arrested, like Catherine and Marthe. They were transferred in Nîmes: Catherine saw there her husband’s rotting body, while Marthe attended to her husband’s torture… they finally sent the 2 ladies in jail in Aigues.