| 1533 | John Calvin flees Paris | |
| 29 January 1536 | General Edict urging extermination of heretics (Huguenots) | |
| 1536 | John Calvin becomes pastor in Geneva | |
| 1550s | Calvinism comes to France with thousands of converts | |
| 25 May 1559 | First Synod of the French Reformed Church held in Paris, followed by persecutions and issuance of Edict prohibiting "heretical" worship | |
| 1559 | Attempt to replace Catholic Guises with Huguenot Conde as regent | |
| 1560 | Huguenots petition the King and threaten revolt if persecution persists | |
| 1 March 1562 | Massacre at Vassay begins French religious wars; Conde assassinated | |
| 1562 | Huguenots sign manifesto saying they were forced to take arms | |
| 1 May 1562 | Arrival at St. John's River, in Florida, of the first pilgrimage by Huguenots to North America | |
| 1564 | Death of John Calvin | |
| 1565 | Huguenot colony massacred at St. John, FL | |
| 24 August 1572 | St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre in which tens of thousands of Huguenots were killed | |
| 1585 | Huguenots/Protestants expelled from France | |
| 13 April 1598 | Edict of Nantes by Henry of Navarre which granted religious and civil liberties to the Huguenots promises protection | |
| 18 October 1685 | Revocation of the Edict of Nantes by Louis XIV which was published 22 October 1685, and resulted in persecution of the Huguenots; 400,000 flee France to other countries | |
| 28 November 1787 | Promulgation of the Edict of Toleration |