L'Hôpital or L'Hospital, Michel de [key], c.1505–1573, chancellor of France under Catherine de' Medici. He was Catherine's chief collaborator in the policy of religious toleration that she followed during most of her early administration. He favored, although he did not originate, the Edict of Romorantin (1560), which deprived the secular courts of jurisdiction in cases involving religion, and he was responsible for the edicts granting liberty of conscience (1561) and restricted liberty of worship (1562). He withdrew from court during the first War of Religion (1562–63; see Religion, Wars of), but subsequently returned to power and in 1566 was the author of important judicial reforms. After the outbreak (1567) of the second War of Religion he was forced out of office (1568) by Charles and Henri de Guise. In his retirement he composed Latin poetry.
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