“Post tenebras lux” the Huguenot diaspora in Early Modern London and its reflections in refugee wills

Abstract

Starting from the mid 16th century, Huguenots, namely French Protestants took refuge in countries that offered them toleration, due to persecution and suppression they were exposed to in France. Until the late 18th century, the Huguenot diaspora continued to flourish in many places, especially in Swiss Cantons, Holland, Germany, and England with consecutive migration waves. So far, most research has focused on exile, the features of the Huguenot refugee communities, and the contribution of the Huguenots to their host societies. However, the dynamics and process of assimilation have been generally neglected. This thesis aims to provide an insight into the Huguenot condition in London between the 17th century and early 19th century and present inference about the integration process of the refugees throughout the years and generations by analysing the data compiled from sample refugee wills.