Page "St. Bartholomew's Day massacre" Paragraph 41

The massacre caused a “ major international crisis ”.

Protestant countries were horrified at the events, and only the concentrated efforts of Catherine's ambassadors, including a special mission by Gondi, prevented the collapse of her policy of remaining on good terms with them.

Elizabeth I of England's ambassador to France at that time, Sir Francis Walsingham, barely escaped with his life.

Even Tsar Ivan the Terrible expressed horror at the carnage in a letter to the Emperor.