French Huguenots were colonial New York City's most successful artisans, turning out unrivaled works of furniture that were distinguished by unique designs and arcane details. More than just decorative flourishes, the visual language employed reflected a distinct belief system shaped during the religious wars of sixteenth-century France. In Fortress of the Soul, Neil Kamil traces the Huguenots' journey to New York from southwestern France, drawing on significant archival research and fresh interpretations of Huguenot material culture to offer an exhaustive study of the complex worldview of the Huguenot community. From the function of sacred violence and aichemy in the visual language of Huguenot artisans, to the impact among Protestants everywhere of the destruction of La Rochelle in 1628, to the ways in which New York's Huguenots interacted with each other and with other communities of religious dissenters and refugees, Fortress of the Soul brilliantly places American colonial history and material life firmly within the larger context of the early modern Atlantic world.