Religious leaders in France were deeply affected by the politics of the land. An example would be the French leader, Catherine de Medici's. She became a regent for her son, Charles IX and also based her decisions on the possible political gains of her monarchy. She first tried to reconcile protestant and Catholic faction which ended unsuccessfully because she feared the power of the Guises. Politics were reflected in her by her concern to preserve and balance the monarch and seek valuable allies. The Duke of Guises massacred many, ending protestant toleration. After this, Catherine then thought the Guises were gaining too much political power, but she feared the Guises therefore she had to become their ally. The battle between protestants and catholic power (Huguenots and Guises, respectively) once again shifted as Coligny became Charles IX's most trusted advisor; this raised the protestant influence on the king and on the monarchy. The monarchy would chose to favor whichever would balance the power and at this time, it was the Guises. Therefore, she plotted with them, unsuccessfully, the murder of Coligny. Fearful, at Charles IX's reaction, she convinced him that a Huguenot coup was afoot led by Coligny and that they must execute any and all people involved to save the crown. This led to the bloody St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre. This massacre only achieved the murder of several Huguenots and made their struggle an international war. This battle of religion and political power was now a struggle to the death for sheer survival against the enemy whose cruelty gave reason to any means of protestant resistant.
             2. Spain achieved a position of dominance through many factors. Philips home base, Castile, was very populated and wealthy. Also, the bullion from the Spanish colonies in the new world added to his wealth and success. The silver mines opened in Potosi gave Philip the money he needed to pay his bankers an
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