Chronologie de la Renaissance

                    François Ier (1515-1547)
                                                                                     Henri II (1547-1559)
                                                                                                           Charles IX (1560-1574)
                                                                                                                                     Henri III (1574-1589)
                                                                                                                                                         Henri IV (1589-1610)

Apparition de la commendeBénéfice d’un monastère accordé à un ecclésiastique ou à un laïc. (vers 1400-1500)
                                                                        L'abbaye est aux mains "d'abbés commendataires", comme Jean du Bellay,                                                                          qui laissent péricliter la vie monastique (1543-1588).
                                                                                  Il y a 306 abbayes cisterciennes d'hommes ou de femmes en France(1550).
                                                                                               L'abbaye de Pontigny est saccagée durant les Guerres de religion                                                                                                                                                                                                            (1568)

                                                                  Fondation de la Compagnie de Jésus par Ignace de Loyola (1540)
                                                                                                                                   Massacre de la Saint-Barthélémy (1572)
                                                                                                                                                                            Edit de Nantes (1598)