January 31, 1686 - King Louis XIV Orders Waldensian Churches to be Burned

After revoking the previously Protestant-tolerating Edict of Nantes, King Louis XIV of France ordered all Waldensian churches to be burned on January 31, 1686. The Waldensians were a group of pre-Reformation believers who stressed the love of Christ, the love of His Word, and a life of poverty. This order left their group devastated, with 2000 killed, 2000 “converted” to Catholicism, and 8000 imprisoned.