The 1555 defeat of the Perrinists purges Calvin’s civic opponents
In May 1555, after elections favourable to Calvin’s supporters, a clash with Ami Perrin’s faction ended in executions and flight. Cambridge studies and AEG’s council-register tradition independently date the 1555 Perrinist collapse. In the causal graph this event weakens Democratic Resilience, a driver that strengthens Having a say in government — a worsening welfare path.
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In May 1555, after elections favourable to Calvin’s supporters, a clash with Ami Perrin’s faction ended in executions and flight.
Context
Cambridge studies and AEG’s council-register tradition independently date the 1555 Perrinist collapse. Refugees and new burghers shifted the electorate.
John Calvin’s documented role is bounded by other offices and collaborators named in the sources below.
Conventional years are 1509–1564. Surviving public files are later museum pages, consistory editions, Meeter Center collections, and encyclopedias. Calvin did not typeset those later pages.
Why it matters
Resilience-harm path. High confidence on the 1555 crisis.
Who was responsible
Contribution type and responsibility level for each recorded actor — not sole-author shorthand.
John Calvin
PersonDirect responsibility
responsibility level 0.4 · verified
Civic elections and a May riot ended the Perrin faction. Calvin’s party benefited. Complex; he did not command a regiment.
What changed
Fact → Driver → Indicator. Relationship strength orders the paths; it is not the observed indicator movement.
- FactThe 1555 defeat of the Perrinists purges Calvin’s civic opponents
- weakensDriverDemocratic Resilience
- strengthensIndicators (3)Having a say in government
impact weight 0.5 · Effect from 16 May 1555 · verified
A dated purge of opposition families weakened contestation inside Geneva’s councils.
Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.35 (weight 0.5 × strength 0.7)
Observed
29.8% of population aged 16-65 years · 8.13 below the normal line (2023)
Worse than normalTwo readings: 30.2% of population aged 16-65 years (2021) and 29.8% of population aged 16-65 years (2023).
20212023 Above normal = better
Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.23 (weight 0.5 × strength 0.45)
Observed
0.53 score from 0 to 1 · 0.34 below the normal line (2024)
Worse than normal125 readings, 1900–2024: rose from 0.17 score from 0 to 1 to 0.53 score from 0 to 1.
Above normal = better
Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.23 (weight 0.5 × strength 0.45)
Observed
0.55 index score (0-1) · 0.26 below the normal line (2024)
Worse than normalAbove normal = better
Evidence
The sources behind this fact and its verification state.
- 1.Cambridge Companion to John CalvinCambridge University Press · High credibility · verified
- 2.Archives d’État de GenèveRépublique et Canton de Genève · High credibility · verified
What the sources establish
Geneva’s archives portal and the Cambridge Companion independently describe the 1555 Perrinist defeat.
Established: the 1555 clash ended the Perrin opposition. Not established: a unique later turnout series.
John Calvin did not file a later UNESCO form, a later Loeb colophon, or a later museum label as a personal act. A riot is not a 1541 ordinance. Keep May 1555 on its own date.
Causal path
How this event connects to drivers and indicators in the graph.
- ActorJohn Calvin
- contributed toFactThe 1555 defeat of the Perrinists purges Calvin’s civic opponents
- weakensDriverDemocratic Resilience
- strengthensIndicatorHaving a say in government
Cite this page
Factrail. (2026). The 1555 defeat of the Perrinists purges Calvin’s civic opponents. Factrail. https://factrail.ai/facts/jc-perrinists-1555
https://factrail.ai/facts/jc-perrinists-1555
Accessed 16 October 2026.
By the Factrail desk · Method: how we source and score · Last reviewed
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