Short answers, pulled from the story.
The French Wars of Religion began in 1562 and concluded with the Edict of Nantes in May 1598. This period spanned from the Massacre of Vassy on the 1st of March 1562 to the Peace of Vervins signed in May 1598.
Key figures included King Henry IV, Catherine de Medici, Duke Francis of Guise, and John Calvin who provided leadership for the Reformed Church of France. The conflict also involved political factions such as the House of Bourbon and the Catholic League led by the Duke of Guise.
The massacre occurred on the morning of the 24th of August 1572 when royal forces killed Protestant leaders including Gaspard II de Coligny. King Charles IX ordered the assassinations to prevent a perceived Huguenot coup while militant factions subsequently slaughtered thousands of Calvinists across Paris and other cities.
Historians estimate that approximately 10,000 people were killed during the St Bartholomew's Day massacre which began on the 24th of August 1572. This figure includes around 2,000 victims in Paris and thousands more who died in the provinces over the following weeks.
King Henry IV promulgated the Edict of Nantes in May 1598 to officially end the French Wars of Religion. The edict granted political freedoms to Huguenots and established peace between Catholics and Protestants after decades of civil war.