ABSTRACT
The siege of La Rochelle was an iconic disaster, and the religious, political and military implications of the siege and the ultimate fall of La Rochelle have fascinated historians. Gender, religion, commerce and political authority are the threads that intertwine during the course of the siege and figure in its aftermath. Throughout the siege there was traffic in messages and communications between the Rochelais and the Royal forces, though views on both sides hardened as time passed. Warfare and siege are scenes of violence commonly associated with men and with masculine-coded traits of bravery, heroism and determination, while norms of masculinity contribute to perceptions of men as warriors. The La Rochelle siege of 1627–28 was the last in a string of sieges during the French Wars of Religion. Despite harassment, before the siege Catholic residents had grown to about 5,000, mainly artisans and labourers, but only about 1,000 remained when Catholics were exiled in 1627.
