“The whole undertaking was aimed at seizing me” Stakes and impacts of the representations of abduction at the time of the Amboise conspiracy

This article aims to analyze how the imaginary of abduction may have influenced the political reflection during the short reign of Francis II. In March 1560, the French King, who is only 15 years old, is the target of a Protestant conspiracy which aims at abducting him according to Catholic rumors. The royal government is inspired by this imaginary when, two months later, it begins to rebuild the monarchical figure.