Monarchs of France
This article is about French kings beginning with the 843 Treaty of Verdun. For kings before 843, see
List of Frankish kings
.
France
was ruled by
monarchs
from the establishment of the
Kingdom of West Francia
in 843 until the end of the
Second French Empire
in 1870, with several interruptions.
Classical French
historiography
usually regards
Clovis I
,
king of the Franks
(
r.
507?511
), as the first king of France. However, historians today consider that such a kingdom did not begin until the establishment of
West Francia
, during the dissolution of the
Carolingian Empire
in the 800s.
[1]
[2]
Titles
[
edit
]
The kings used the title "King of the Franks" (
Latin
:
Rex Francorum
) until the late twelfth century; the first to adopt the title of "King of France" (
Latin
:
Rex Franciae
;
French
:
roi de France
) was
Philip II
in 1190 (r. 1180?1223), after which the title "King of the Franks" gradually lost ground.
[3]
However,
Francorum Rex
continued to be sometimes used, for example by
Louis XII
in 1499, by
Francis I
in 1515, and by
Henry II
in about 1550; it was also used on coins up to the eighteenth century.
[4]
During the brief period when the
French Constitution of 1791
was in effect (1791?1792) and after the
July Revolution
in 1830, the
style
"
King of the French
" (
roi des Francais
) was used instead of "
King of France
(and
Navarre
)". It was a constitutional innovation known as
popular monarchy
which linked the monarch's title to the French people rather than to the possession of the territory of France.
[5]
With the
House of Bonaparte
, the title "
Emperor of the French
" (
Empereur des Francais
) was used in
19th-century France
, during the
first
and
second
French Empires, between 1804 and 1814, again in 1815, and between 1852 and 1870.
[6]
From the 14th century down to 1801, the
English (and later British) monarch claimed the throne of France
, though such claim was purely nominal excepting a short period during the
Hundred Years' War
when
Henry VI of England
had control over most of Northern France, including Paris. By 1453, the English had been mostly expelled from France and Henry's claim has since been considered illegitimate; French historiography commonly does not recognize Henry VI of England among the kings of France.
Frankish kings
[
edit
]
Carolingian dynasty (843?887)
[
edit
]
The Carolingians were a
Frankish
noble family with origins in the
Arnulfing and Pippinid
clans of the 7th century AD. The family consolidated its power in the 8th century, eventually making the offices of
mayor of the palace
and
dux et princeps Francorum
hereditary and becoming the real powers behind the
Merovingian kings
. The dynasty is named after one of these mayors of the palace,
Charles Martel
, whose son
Pepin the Short
dethroned the Merovingians in 751 and, with the consent of the
Papacy
and the aristocracy, was crowned
King of the Franks
.
[7]
Under
Charles the Great
(r. 768?814), better known as "
Charlemagne
", the Frankish kingdom expanded deep into
Central Europe
, conquering
Italy
and most of modern
Germany
. He was also crowned "
Emperor of the Romans
" by the Pope, a title that was eventually carried on by the German rulers of the
Holy Roman Empire
.
Charlemagne was succeeded by his son
Louis the Pious
(r. 814?840), who eventually divided the kingdom between his sons. His death, however, was followed by a 3-year-long civil war that ended with the
Treaty of Verdun
, which divided
Francia
into three kingdoms, one of which (
Middle Francia
) was short-lived. Modern France developed from
West Francia
, while
East Francia
became the
Holy Roman Empire
and later
Germany
. By this time, the eastern and western parts of the land had already developed different languages and cultures.
[8]
[9]
Robertian dynasty (888?898)
[
edit
]
Portrait
|
Name
|
Reign
|
Succession
|
Life details
|
|
Odo
Eudes
or
Odon
|
29 February 888
[vi]
? 3 January 898
(9 years, 10 months and 15 days)
|
Son of
Robert the Strong
; elected king by the French nobles following the deposition of Charles. Initially rivaled by
Guy III of Spoleto
and
Ranulf II of Aquitaine
|
c.
858 ? 3 January 898
[i]
(aged approx. 40)
Defended Paris from the
Vikings
; died of natural causes
|
Carolingian dynasty (898?922)
[
edit
]
Robertian dynasty (922?923)
[
edit
]
Bosonid dynasty (923?936)
[
edit
]
Carolingian dynasty (936?987)
[
edit
]
Portrait
|
Name
|
Reign
|
Succession
|
Life details
|
|
Louis IV
"from Overseas"
|
19 June 936
[x]
? 10 September 954
(18 years, 2 months and 22 days)
|
Son of
Charles the Simple
, recalled to France after being exiled to
England
|
921 ? 10 September 954
(aged 33)
Died after
falling off his horse
|
|
Lothair
Lothaire
|
10 September 954
[xi]
? 2 March 986
(31 years, 5 months and 20 days)
|
Son of Louis IV
|
941 ? 2 March 986
(aged 44)
Died of natural causes
|
|
Louis V
"the Do-Nothing"
|
2 March 986
[xii]
? 22 May 987
(1 year, 2 months and 20 days)
|
Son of Lothair
|
967 ? 22 May 987
[k]
(aged 20)
Died in a hunting accident
|
Capetian dynasty (987?1792)
[
edit
]
The Capetian dynasty is named for Hugh Capet, a
Robertian
who served as
Duke of the Franks
and was elected King in 987. Except for the Bonaparte-led Empires, every monarch of France was a male-line descendant of Hugh Capet. The kingship passed through patrilineally from father to son until the 14th century, a period known as
Direct Capetian
rule. Afterwards, it passed to the
House of Valois
, a cadet branch that descended from
Philip III
. The Valois claim was disputed by
Edward III
, the
Plantagenet
king of England who claimed himself as the rightful king of France through his French mother
Isabella
. The two houses fought the
Hundred Years' War
over the issue, and with
Henry VI of England
being for
a time partially recognized as King of France
.
The Valois line died out in the late 16th century, during the
French Wars of Religion
, to be replaced by the distantly related
House of Bourbon
, which descended through the Direct Capetian
Louis IX
. The Bourbons ruled France until deposed in the
French Revolution
, though they were
restored to the throne
after the fall of Napoleon. The last Capetian to rule was
Louis Philippe I
, king of the
July Monarchy
(1830?1848), a member of the cadet
House of Bourbon-Orleans
.
House of Capet (987?1328)
[
edit
]
The House of Capet are also commonly known as the "Direct Capetians".
Portrait
|
Name
|
Arms
|
Reign
|
Succession
|
Life details
|
|
Hugh
"Capet"
Hugues
[l]
|
|
1 June 987
[xiii]
? 24 October 996
(9 years, 4 months and 23 days)
|
Elected king by the French nobles. Son of
Hugh the Great
and grandson of
Robert I
[m]
|
c.
940 ? 24 October 996
(aged approx. 55)
Duke of the Franks
since 956. Died of natural causes.
|
|
Robert II
"the Pious"
|
24 October 996
[xiv]
? 20 July 1031
(34 years, 8 months and 26 days)
|
Only son of Hugh Capet
|
c.
970 ? 20 July 1031
(aged approx. 60)
Married thrice, getting
excommunicated
by the Catholic Church. Incorporated the
Duchy of Burgundy
|
|
Hughes
(junior king)
[n]
|
19 June 1017 ? 17 September 1025
(
under Robert II
)
|
Son of Robert II
|
c.
1007 ? 17 September 1025
(aged approx. 18)
|
|
Henry I
Henri
|
20 July 1031
[xv]
? 4 August 1060
(29 years and 15 days)
|
Son of Robert II
|
c.
1005 ? 4 August 1060
(aged approx. 55)
His reign was marked with internal struggle against feudal lords
|
|
Philip I
"the Amorous"
Philippe
|
4 August 1060
[xvi]
? 29 July 1108
(47 years, 11 months and 25 days)
|
Son of Henry I
|
1052 ? 29 July 1108
(aged 56)
Ruled under the regency of
Anne of Kiev
and
Count Baldwin V
until 1066
|
|
Louis VI
"the Fat"
|
29 July 1108
[xvii]
? 1 August 1137
(29 years and 3 days)
|
Son of Philip I
|
1081 ? 1 August 1137
(aged 56)
His reign contributed to the centralization of royal power. First king to wage
war against the English
|
|
Philippe
(junior king)
[n]
|
14 April 1129 ? 13 October 1131
(
under Louis VI
)
|
Son of Louis VI
|
29 August 1116 ? 13 October 1131
(aged 15)
|
|
Louis VII
"the Young"
|
1 August 1137
[xviii]
? 18 September 1180
(43 years, 1 month and 17 days)
|
Son of Louis VI
|
1120 ? 18 September 1180
(aged 60)
Known for his rivalry with
Henry II of England
and his military campaigns during the
Second Crusade
|
|
Philip II
"Augustus"
Philippe Auguste
|
|
18 September 1180
[xix]
? 14 July 1223
(42 years, 9 months and 26 days)
|
Son of Louis VII
|
21 August 1165 ? 14 July 1223
(aged 57)
Regarded as one of the greatest French rulers. First monarch to style himself as "
King of France
"
|
|
Louis VIII
"the Lion"
|
14 July 1223
[xx]
? 8 November 1226
(3 years, 3 months and 25 days)
|
Son of Philip II
|
5 September 1187 ? 8 November 1226
(aged 39)
Proclaimed king of England
in 1216, after which he led an unsuccessful invasion
|
|
Louis IX
"the Saint"
|
8 November 1226
[xxi]
? 25 August 1270
(43 years, 9 months and 17 days)
|
Son of Louis VIII
|
25 April 1214 ? 25 August 1270
(aged 56)
Ruled under the regency of
Blanche of Castile
until 1234. Died during the
8th Crusade
; only king to be venerated by the
Catholic Church
|
|
Philip III
"the Bold"
Philippe
|
25 August 1270
[xxii]
? 5 October 1285
(15 years, 1 month and 10 days)
|
Son of Louis IX
|
3 April 1245 ? 5 October 1285
(aged 40)
Greatly expanded French influence in Europe. Died of a fever
|
|
Philip IV
"the Fair"
Philippe
|
|
5 October 1285
[xxiii]
? 29 November 1314
(29 years, 1 month and 24 days)
|
Son of Philip III
|
1268 ? 29 November 1314
(aged 46)
King of Navarre
(as
Philip I
) since 16 August 1284, following his marriage with
Joan I
. Remembered for his
struggle with the Roman papacy
and his consolidation of royal power, which helped to reduce the influence of feudal lords
|
|
Louis X
"the Quarreller"
|
29 November 1314
[xxiv]
? 5 June 1316
(1 year, 6 months and 7 days)
|
Son of Philip IV
|
3 October 1289 ? 5 June 1316
(aged 26)
King of Navarre
(as
Louis I
) since 2 April 1305. His short reign was marked by conflicts with the nobility
|
|
John I
"the Posthumous"
Jean
|
15?19 November 1316
(4 days)
|
Posthumous son of Louis X
|
King for the
four days he lived
; youngest and shortest undisputed monarch in French history
[o]
|
|
Philip V
"the Tall"
Philippe
|
20 November 1316
[xxv]
? 3 January 1322
(5 years, 1 month and 14 days)
|
Son of Philip IV and uncle of John I
|
1293/4 ? 3 January 1322
(aged 28?29)
King of Navarre
as
Philip II
.
Died without a male heir
|
|
Charles IV
"the Fair"
|
3 January 1322
[xxvi]
? 1 February 1328
(6 years and 29 days)
|
Son of Philip IV and younger brother of Philip V
|
1294 ? 1 February 1328
(aged 34)
King of Navarre
as
Charles I
. Died without a male heir, ending the direct line of Capetians
|
House of Valois (1328?1589)
[
edit
]
The death of
Charles IV
started the
Hundred Years' War
between the
House of Valois
and the
House of Plantagenet
, whose claim was taken up by the cadet branch known as the
House of Lancaster
, over control of the French throne. The Valois claimed the right to the succession by male-only
primogeniture
through the ancient
Salic Law
, having the closest all-male line of descent from a recent French king. They were descended from the third son of
Philip III
, Charles, Count of Valois. The Plantagenets based
their claim
on being closer to a more recent French king,
Edward III of England
being a grandson of
Philip IV
through his mother,
Isabella
.
The two houses fought the
Hundred Years War
to enforce their claims. The Valois were ultimately successful, and French historiography counts their leaders as rightful kings. One Plantagenet,
Henry VI of England
, enjoyed
de jure
control of the French throne following the
Treaty of Troyes
, which formed the basis for continued English claims to the throne of France until 1801. The Valois line ruled France until the line became extinct in 1589, in the backdrop of the
French Wars of Religion
. As Navarre did not have a tradition of male-only primogeniture, the Navarrese monarchy became distinct from the French with
Joan II
, a daughter of Louis X.
Portrait
|
Name
|
Arms
|
Reign
|
Succession
|
Life details
|
|
Philip VI
"the Fortunate"
Philippe
|
|
1 April 1328
[xxvii]
? 22 August 1350
(22 years, 4 months and 21 days)
|
Son of
Charles, Count of Valois
, grandson of
Philip III
and cousin of
Charles IV
|
1293 ? 22 August 1350
(aged 57)
His reign was dominated by the consequences of
a succession dispute
, which led to the
Hundred Years' War
.
|
|
John II
"the Good"
Jean
|
22 August 1350
[xxviii]
? 8 April 1364
(13 years, 7 months and 17 days)
|
Son of Philip VI
|
April 1319
[q]
? 8 April 1364
(aged 45)
Captured by the English at the
Battle of Poitiers
(1356); forced to sign a series of humiliating treaties
|
|
Charles V
"the Wise"
|
|
8 April 1364
[xxix]
? 16 September 1380
(16 years, 5 months and 8 days)
|
Son of John II; named
Dauphin
on 16 July 1349
|
21 January 1337 ? 16 September 1380
(aged 43)
His reign was marked with internal struggle against feudal lords
|
|
Charles VI
"the Mad" "the Beloved"
|
|
16 Sept 1380
[xxx]
? 21 October 1422
(42 years, 1 month and 5 days)
|
Son of Charles V
|
3 December 1368 ? 21 October 1422
(aged 53)
Ruled under the regency of his uncles until 1388. Suffered a long period of mental illness before dying of natural causes
|
|
Henry VI of England
(claimant)
|
|
21 October 1422
[xxxi]
?
19 October 1453
[r]
(disputed; 31 years)
|
Maternal grandson of Charles VI, recognized as heir after the
Treaty of Troyes
of 21 May 1420
|
6 December 1421 ? 21 May 1471
(aged 49)
King of England
since 1 September 1422. Ruled under
several regencies
until 1437
[71]
|
|
Charles VII
"the Victorious" "the Well-Served"
|
|
21 October 1422
[xxxii]
? 22 July 1461
(38 years, 9 months and 1 day)
|
Son of Charles VI and uncle of Henry VI of England, named
Dauphin
in April 1417
|
22 February 1403 ? 22 July 1461
(aged 58)
His reign saw the end of the Hundred Years' War
|
|
Louis XI
"the Prudent" "the Universal Spider"
|
|
22 July 1461
[xxxiii]
? 30 August 1483
(22 years, 1 month and 8 days)
|
Son of Charles VII
|
3 July 1423 ? 30 August 1483
(aged 60)
His reign saw the strengthening and expansion of royal power. Nicknamed "the Universal Spider" for the numerous intrigues during his rule
|
|
Charles VIII
"the Affable"
|
|
30 August 1483
[xxxiv]
? 7 April 1498
(14 years, 7 months and 8 days)
|
Son of Louis XI
|
30 June 1470 ? 7 April 1498
(aged 27)
Ruled under the regency of his sister
Anne
until 1491. Started the long and unsuccessful
Italian Wars
. Died after hitting his head with a
lintel
|
House of Valois-Orleans (1498?1515)
[
edit
]
House of Valois-Angouleme (1515?1589)
[
edit
]
Portrait
|
Name
|
Arms
|
Reign
|
Succession
|
Life details
|
|
Francis I
"the Father of Letters"
Francois
|
|
1 January 1515
[xxxvi]
? 31 March 1547
(32 years, 2 months and 30 days)
|
Great-great-grandson of Charles V. First
cousin once removed
, and by first marriage son-in-law, of Louis XII
|
12 September 1494 ? 31 March 1547
(aged 52)
Remembered as a
Renaissance
patron of the arts
and scholarship. Died of a fever
|
|
Henry II
Henri
|
31 March 1547
[xxxvii]
? 10 July 1559
(12 years, 3 months and 10 days)
|
Son of Francis I, named
Dauphin
in August 1536
|
31 March 1519 ? 10 July 1559
(aged 40)
His reign saw the end of the
Italian Wars
. Died after being accidentally stabbed in a
Jousting
tournament
|
|
Francis II
Francois
|
10 July 1559
[xxxviii]
? 5 December 1560
(1 year, 4 months and 25 days)
|
Son of Henry II
|
20 January 1544 ? 5 December 1560
(aged 16)
King consort of Scotland
since 24 April 1558. A weak and sick boy, he remained under the regency of the
House of Guise
until his premature death
|
|
Charles IX
|
5 December 1560
[xxxix]
? 30 May 1574
(13 years, 5 months and 25 days)
|
Younger brother of Francis II
|
27 June 1550 ? 30 May 1574
(aged 23)
Ruled under the regency of his mother
Catherine
until 1563, but remained under her influence until his death. The Wars of Religion began under his reign (1562). Best remembered for the
Massacre of Vassy
|
|
Henry III
Henri
|
|
30 May 1574
[xl]
? 2 August 1589
(15 years, 2 months and 3 days)
|
Younger brother of Francis II and Charles IX
|
19 September 1551 ? 2 August 1589
(aged 37)
Initially ruler of
Poland?Lithuania
.
[s]
He reigned through the devastating
Wars of Religion
, which eventually led to his
own assassination
[83]
|
House of Bourbon (1589?1792)
[
edit
]
The Valois line looked strong on the death of
Henry II
, who left four male heirs. His first son,
Francis II
, died in his minority. His second son,
Charles IX
, had no legitimate sons to inherit. Following the premature death of his fourth son
Hercule Francois
and the assassination of his third son, the childless
Henry III
, France was plunged into a succession crisis over which distant cousin of the king would inherit the throne. The best claimant, King
Henry III of Navarre
, was a Protestant, and thus unacceptable to much of the French nobility.
Ultimately, after winning numerous battles in defence of his claim, Henry converted to Catholicism and was crowned as King Henry IV, founding the House of Bourbon. This marked the second time the thrones of Navarre and France were united under one monarch, as different inheritance laws had caused them to become separated during the events of the Hundred Years Wars. The House of Bourbon was overthrown during the
French Revolution
and replaced by a short-lived
republic
.
Long 19th-century (1792?1870)
[
edit
]
The period known as the "long nineteenth century" was a tumultuous time in French politics. The period is generally considered to have begun with the
French Revolution
, which deposed and then executed
Louis XVI
. Royalists continued to recognize his son, the putative king
Louis XVII
, as ruler of France. Louis was under arrest by the government of the Revolution and died in captivity having never ruled. The republican government went through several changes in form and constitution until France was declared an empire, following the ascension of the
First Consul
Napoleon Bonaparte
as Emperor Napoleon I. Napoleon was overthrown twice following military defeats during the
Napoleonic Wars
.
After the Napoleonic period followed two different royal governments, the
Bourbon Restoration
, which was ruled successively by two younger brothers of Louis XVI, and the
July Monarchy
, ruled by
Louis Philippe I
, a distant cousin who claimed descent from
Louis XIII
. The
French Revolution of 1848
brought an end to the monarchy again, instituting a brief
Second Republic
that lasted four years, before its President declared himself Emperor
Napoleon III
, who was deposed and replaced by the
Third Republic
, and ending monarchic rule in France for good.
House of Bonaparte, First French Empire (1804?1814)
[
edit
]
House of Bourbon (1814?1815)
[
edit
]
Portrait
|
Name
|
Arms
|
Reign
|
Succession
|
Life details
|
|
Louis XVIII
"the Desired"
|
|
3 May 1814
[xlvii]
? 20 March 1815
(1st time; 10 months and 17 days)
|
Younger brother of
Louis XVI
; proclaimed king in June 1795. Had his dynasty restored to the throne with the help of other European royal houses, which had dethroned Napoleon
|
17 November 1755 ? 16 September 1824
(aged 68)
Fled France on 21 June 1791, during the
Flight to Varennes
, and again in March 1815, after the return of Napoleon
|
House of Bonaparte, Hundred Days (1815)
[
edit
]
Portrait
|
Name
|
Arms
|
Reign
|
Succession
|
Life details
|
|
Napoleon I
|
|
20 March ? 22 June 1815
(94 days)
|
Restored as
Emperor of the French
by the
French Army
following his escape from the island of
Elba
|
15 August 1769 ? 5 May 1821
(aged 51)
Abdicated in favour of his son following his defeat at the
Battle of Waterloo
. Exiled to the island of
Saint Helena
, where he later died of a stomach illness
|
|
Napoleon II
(claimant)
|
22 June ? 7 July 1815
(15 days; disputed)
|
Son of Napoleon I
|
20 March 1811 ? 22 July 1832
(aged 21)
Unrecognized by the Coalition; remained his entire "reign" hidden in
Austria
, with his mother
Marie Louise
. Died of tuberculosis several years later
[95]
|
Bourbon Restoration (1815?1830)
[
edit
]
Portrait
|
Name
|
Arms
|
Reign
|
Succession
|
Life details
|
|
Louis XVIII
"the Desired"
|
|
8 July 1815 ? 16 September 1824
(9 years, 2 months and 8 days)
|
Younger brother of
Louis XVI
; restored to the throne.
|
17 November 1755 ? 16 September 1824
(aged 68)
Attempted to rule under a
constitutional monarchy
. Last French monarch to die while still reigning
|
|
Charles X
|
16 September 1824
[xlviii]
? 2 August 1830
(5 years, 10 months and 17 days)
|
Younger brother of Louis XVI and Louis XVIII
|
9 October 1757 ? 6 November 1836
(aged 79)
Leader of the
Ultra-royalists
; attempted to return to the Ancient Regime. Abdicated in favour of his grandson Henry after the
July Revolution
.
|
|
Louis XIX
(?)
(claimant)
|
2 August 1830
(20 minutes; disputed)
|
Son of Charles X
|
6 August 1775 ? 3 June 1844
(aged 68)
Allegedly king for 20 minutes;
[w]
later
legitimist
pretender to the throne.
|
|
Henry V
(claimant)
|
2?9 August 1830
(7 days; disputed)
|
Grandson of Charles X
|
29 September 1820 ? 24 August 1883
(aged 62)
Later
legitimist
pretender to the throne. Died in exile several years later
|
House of Bourbon-Orleans, July Monarchy (1830?1848)
[
edit
]
The Bourbon Restoration came to an end with the
July Revolution
of 1830 which deposed
Charles X
and replaced him with
Louis Philippe I
, a distant cousin with more liberal politics. Charles X's son Louis signed a document renouncing his own right to the throne only after a 20-minute argument with his father. Because he was never crowned he is disputed as a genuine king of France. Louis's nephew Henry was likewise considered by some to be Henry V, but the new regime did not recognise his claim and he never ruled.
Charles X named Louis Philippe as
Lieutenant general du royaume
, a regent to the young Henry V, and charged him to announce his desire to have his grandson succeed him to the
Chamber of Deputies
, the lower house of the
French Parliament
at the time, the French equivalent at the time of the UK House of Commons. Louis Philippe did not do this, in order to increase his own chances of succession. As a consequence, and because the French parliamentarians were aware of his liberal policies and of his popularity at the time with the French population, they proclaimed Louis Philippe as the new French king, displacing the senior branch of the House of Bourbon.
Portrait
|
Name
|
Arms
|
Reign
|
Succession
|
Life details
|
|
Louis Philippe I
"the Citizen King"
|
|
9 August 1830
[xlix]
? 24 February 1848
(17 years, 6 months and 15 days)
|
Sixth-generation descendant of
Louis XIII
and distant cousin of
Charles X
; proclaimed king by the
Chamber of Deputies
after the abdication of Charles X during the
July Revolution
|
6 October 1773 ? 26 August 1850
(aged 76)
Styled as
King of the French
. Formally deposed following the proclamation of the
Second Republic
. Abdicated in favour of his grandson
|
|
Louis Philippe II
(claimant)
|
24?26 February 1848
(2 days; disputed)
|
Grandson of Louis-Philippe
|
24 August 1838 ? 8 September 1894
(aged 56)
Chosen by Louis Philippe I to be his successor, however the National Assembly refused to recognize him as king and proclaimed the
Second Republic
. Later
Orleanist
pretender to the throne.
|
House of Bonaparte, Second French Empire (1852?1870)
[
edit
]
The
French Second Republic
lasted from 1848 to 1852, when its president,
Charles-Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte
, was declared
Emperor of the French
under the regnal name of
Napoleon III
. He would later be overthrown during the events of the
Franco-Prussian War
, becoming the last monarch to rule France.
Later pretenders
[
edit
]
Various
pretenders
descended from the preceding monarchs have claimed to be the legitimate monarch of France, rejecting the claims of the president of France and of one another. These groups are:
- Legitimist claimants to the throne of France
: descendants of the Bourbons. In 1883, after the death of Henri V, grandson of Charles X, unionists recognized the Orleanist claimant as the pretender to the throne of France, as Henri V died without heirs, and also due to the Spanish renunciation, to them the House of Bourbon-Orleans became the senior line of the Capetian dynasty in France.
[
clarification needed
]
- Blancs d'Espagne
: descendants of
Louis XIV
, claiming precedence over the House of Bourbon-Orleans by virtue of primogeniture. They argue that the claimant to the throne would be a Bourbon from the Spanish branch of the family. They ignore the
Spanish renunciation
: the fact that King Philip V of Spain, whose descendants they are, has renounced the throne of France for himself and his descendants in the
Treaty of Utrecht
.
- Orleanist claimants to the throne of France
: descendants of Louis-Phillippe, himself descended from a junior line of the Bourbon dynasty, rejecting all heads of state since 1848. They argue that King Louis Philippe acquired legitimacy via
popular sovereignty
when the representatives of the French people in the
French Parliament
recognized him as king, with the Bourbons having already been rejected and dethroned by the French people after two revolutions.
Blancs d'Espagne
argue that the Orleans do not deserve the throne because they are descended from a regicide,
Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orleans
, who voted for the execution of King Louis XVI during the
French Revolution
, violating the fundamental laws of the kingdom. Another argument against the Orleans is that the very French Parliament that recognized Louis Philippe as king refused to give the throne to his grandson (and descendants) and proclaimed the
Second French Republic
.
- Bonapartist claimants to the throne of France
: descendants of Napoleon I and his brothers, rejecting all heads of state 1815?48 and since 1870. They argue that the Imperial throne need to return to the House of Bonaparte, as the monarchs of this house had been chosen directly by the people through referendums, giving them legitimacy to reign via
popular sovereignty
, and both the Bourbons and the Orleans were rejected and dethroned through revolutions and that the Bonaparte were only dethroned due the interference of foreign enemies, with no popular revolution taking place to overthrow the Bonapartes and that the
Third Republic
was originally intended to be a provisional regime to return the throne to an Orleans or Bourbon (what never happened).
- English claimants to the throne of France
: kings of England and later of Great Britain (renounced by
Hanoverian
King
George III
upon
union with Ireland
in 1800).
- Jacobite claimants to the throne of France
: senior heirs-general of Edward III of England and thus his
claim to the French throne
, also claiming England, Scotland, and Ireland.
Timeline
[
edit
]
See also
[
edit
]
Notes
[
edit
]
- ^
Louis the Pious
and
Charlemagne
are both enumerated as "
Louis I
" and "
Charles I
" in the lists of French
and
German monarchs.
- ^
Older scholars give his birth as 15 May,
the
ides
of May. However, ancient sources record his birth as 13 June, the ides of June.
[11]
- ^
Not to be confused with
Louis II the German
, son of
Louis the Pious
and king of
East Francia
(Germany). Both French and German monarchs saw themselves as the successors of
Charlemagne
, hence why many rulers share the same regnal name.
- ^
Scholars give his death as either 3,
4,
or 10 August,
but ancient sources clearly indicates 5 August.
[19]
- ^
Some modern sources give his death as "12 December", but this is a mistake.
[21]
[22]
[23]
- ^
Charles the Fat
was initially king of
East Francia
(
Germany
) and
Holy Roman Emperor
. Given that he was the third emperor with that name, he is also known as
Charles III
. He must not to be confused with
Charles the Simple
, who is also enumerated as
Charles III
. This discrepancy originates from the regnal number adopted by
Charles V
, the first French king to assume one.
- ^
This is the most accepted and cited date, although it is not entirely confirmed.
[27]
- ^
In older sources his birth was dated to 832, but nowadays 839 is the accepted date.
- ^
Odo's death is universally given as 1 January, as given by a late 13th century chronicle,
[32]
but the earliest source on the matter, from the early 11th century, records his death as 3 January.
[33]
Another source, from the 13th century, records his death as 2 January.
[34]
- ^
a
b
See main entry for references.
- ^
Some scholars give his death as 21 May, but contemporary sources give 22 May.
[42]
- ^
"Capet" (
latin
:
Cappetus
) was not actually a name, but a nickname adopted by later historians. It probably derived from
chappe
, an ecclesiastical mantle wore at the
Abbey of Saint Martin of Tours
.
- ^
Hugh was also descendant of
Charlemagne
's sons
Louis the Pious
and
Pepin of Italy
through his mother and paternal grandmother, respectively, and was also a nephew of
Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor
.
- ^
a
b
Because neither Hugh nor Philip were sole or senior king in their own lifetimes, they are not traditionally listed as kings of France and are not given ordinals.
- ^
He lived from 15 to 19 November according to the continuator of
Guillaume de Nangis
.
[61]
The
Chronique Parisienne Anonyme de 1316 a 1339
gives 13 and 18 November.
[62]
Modern sources often give his lifespan as 15?20 November.
- ^
Humphreys
, p. 16 gives 6 January, the same date of Philip IV's coronation. This is a confusion.
- ^
Sources give his birth date as 6, 16, 20 or 26 April.
- ^
This is the date in which the last English holdout was expelled by the French, with the exception of
Calais
.
- ^
Henry III was elected on 5 May 1573.
He was crowned on 21 February 1574,
but he was declared deposed soon after, on 12 May.
- ^
Lower Navarre
was integrated into France during his reign.
- ^
Louis XVI's powers as king became obsolete following the
March on Versailles
on 5 October 1789, after which he became a hostage of the revolutionary forces.
- ^
The
Senat
proclaimed the deposition
in absentia
of Napoleon on 2 April, which was followed by the
Corps legislatif
on 3 April. Napoleon wrote an act of abdication on 4 April renouncing the throne in favour of his son. However, this was not accepted by the Coalition, so he wrote an unconditional abdication on 6 April renouncing his rights and that of his family.
[91]
- ^
Although claimed as the shortest reigning monarch by the
Guinness World Records
,
[97]
this claim appears to be unsustained.
[98]
The exact circumstances of his "abdication" are unknown, as it was announced in a document firmed by both Charles X and Louis, who is only called
Dauphin
. He is said to have been "king" between his father's signature and his own, as he (allegedly) initially refused to sign the document.
Coronations
[
edit
]
- ^
Charles II was crowned emperor on 25 December 875. For later Frankish and German emperors, see
Holy Roman Emperor
.
- ^
Louis II was crowned on 8 December 877.
- ^
Louis III and Carloman II were crowned on September 879.
- ^
Louis III and Carloman II were crowned on September 879.
- ^
Charles the Fat was most likely crowned on 20 May 885.
He was already
king of East Francia
since 28 August 876. He was also crowned emperor on 12 February 881.
[27]
- ^
Odo was crowned on 29 February 888 and then again on 13 November.
- ^
Charles III was crowned on 28 January 893, in opposition to Odo.
[j]
- ^
Robert I was crowned on 30 June 922.
- ^
Rudolph was crowned on 13 July 923.
[j]
- ^
Louis IV was crowned on 19 June 936, following a brief interregnum after the death of Rudolph.
- ^
Lothair was crowned on 12 November 954.
- ^
Louis V was crowned on 8 June 979.
- ^
Hugh was elected and crowned king on 1 June 987, in
Noyon
. He was crowned again on 3 July in
Paris
by the
archbishop of Reims
. The latter date is usually regarded as the "official" start of the
Capetian dynasty
.
- ^
Robert II was crowned on 30 December 987.
- ^
Henry I was crowned on 14 May 1027.
- ^
Philip I was crowned on 23 May 1059.
- ^
Louis VI was crowned on 3 August 1108.
- ^
Louis VII was crowned as a child on 25 October 1131, and again on 25 December 1137 alongside
Eleanor of Aquitaine
.
- ^
Philip II was crowned on 1 November 1179.
- ^
Louis VIII was crowned on 6 August 1223.
- ^
Louis IX was crowned on 29 November 1226.
- ^
Philip III was crowned on 30 August 1271.
- ^
Philip IV was crowned on 6 January 1286.
- ^
Louis X was crowned on 24 August 1315.
- ^
Philip V was crowned on 9 January 1317.
[p]
- ^
Charles IV was crowned on 21 February 1322.
- ^
Philip VI was crowned on 29 May 1328.
- ^
John II was crowned on 26 September 1350.
- ^
Charles V was crowned on 19 May 1364.
- ^
Charles VI was crowned on 4 November 1380.
- ^
Henry (II) was crowned on 16 December 1431, at
Notre-Dame de Paris
.
- ^
Charles VII was crowned on 17 July 1429.
- ^
Louis XI was crowned on 15 August 1461.
- ^
Charles VIII was crowned on 30 May 1484.
- ^
Louis XII was crowned on 27 May 1498.
- ^
Francis I was crowned on 25 January 1515.
- ^
Henry II was crowned on 26 July 1547.
- ^
Francis II was crowned on 18 September 1559.
- ^
Charles IX was crowned on 15 May 1561.
- ^
Henry III was crowned on 13 February 1575.
- ^
Henry IV was crowned on 27 February 1594.
- ^
Louis XIII was crowned on 17 October 1610.
- ^
Louis XIV was crowned on 7 June 1654.
- ^
Louis XV was crowned on 25 October 1722.
- ^
Louis XVI was crowned on 11 June 1775.
- ^
Napoleon I was
crowned
on 2 December 1804.
- ^
Louis XVIII decided not to have a coronation.
- ^
Charles X was crowned on 29 May 1825, an unsuccessful attempt to revive the old monarchical traditions.
- ^
Louis Philippe I decided not to have a coronation.
- ^
A coronation ceremony for Napoleon III was planned, but
never executed
.
References
[
edit
]
Citations
[
edit
]
- ^
Guyotjeannin, Olivier, ed. (1996).
Clovis chez les historiens
(in French). Librairie Droz. pp. 241ff.
ISBN
9782600055925
.
- ^
Sewell, Elizabeth Missing
(1876).
Popular History of France
.
Longman
. pp. 48?49.
- ^
Aguilera-Barchet, Bruno (2014).
A History of Western Public Law
. Springer. p. 182.
ISBN
9783319118031
.
- ^
Potter, David (2008).
Renaissance France at War
. Boydell & Brewer Ltd. p. viii.
ISBN
9781843834052
.
- ^
Deploige, Jeroen; Deneckere, Gita, eds. (2006).
Mystifying the Monarch
. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Amsterdam University Press. p. 182.
ISBN
9789053567678
.
- ^
Pascal, Adrien (1853).
Histoire de Napoleon III
. Paris, France: Barbier. p. 359.
- ^
Babcock, Philip (1993).
Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged
. MA, US: Merriam-Webster. p. 341.
- ^
Reynolds, Susan (1984).
Kingdoms and communities in Western Europe, 900?1300
. Oxford: Clarendon Press. pp. 256?257.
ISBN
978-0-19-821955-2
.
- ^
Scales, Len (2012).
The Shaping of German Identity: Authority and Crisis, 1245-1414
. Cambridge University Press. pp. 155?182.
ISBN
9780521573337
.
- ^
Annales S. Benigni Divionensis
824.
MGH
V
, 39.
- ^
Annales Vedastini
882
. "
Nonis Augusti
"
- ^
Annales Vedastini
.
884.
"...he survived seven more days, and died in the same place... in December, about 18 years of age."
- ^
Obituaires de la province de Sens
I, p. 351. "
VIII id.
[6 December]."
- ^
Annales S. Benigni Divionensis
884.
"
Non. Decemb.
[5 December]".
- ^
a
b
Schieffer, Theodor (1977),
"Karl III"
,
Neue Deutsche Biographie
(in German), vol. 11, pp. 181?184
- ^
Annales S. Benigni Divionensis
899.
MGH
V
, 40.
- ^
Annales Prumienses
898.
MGH
XV
(2), 1292.
- ^
Obituaires de la province de Sens
I, p. 343.
- ^
Richer
(1845) [c. 995].
Histoire de son temps
(in French). Vol. IV. J. Renouard. p. 147.
- ^
Hercule Geraud (1843)
Chronique latine de Guillaume de Nangis, de 1113 a 1300
. pp. 430?431.
- ^
Amedee Hellot (1884).
Chronique parisienne anonyme du XIVe siecle
. p. 26.
- ^
Curry 1993
, pp. 102?122;
Bradford 2004
, pp. 621?625;
EB
,
Henry VI
.
- ^
Peignot
, p. 186;
Humphreys
, p. 38;
EB
,
Henry III
.
- ^
Vial, Charles-Eloi (2014).
"Les trois actes d'abdication de Napoleon Ier"
.
Napoleonica la Revue
(in French).
19
(1): 3.
doi
:
10.3917/napo.141.0003
.
- ^
"France: Commission of Government: 1815 - Archontology"
.
www.archontology.org
. Retrieved
9 December
2023
.
- ^
"Shortest reign of a monarch"
.
Guinness World Records
. Retrieved
10 February
2023
.
- ^
Pinoteau, Herve
(1982).
"Notes de vexillologie royale francaise"
.
Hidalguia
(172?173). Madrid: 361?362.
Main bibliography
[
edit
]
- de Wailly, E. (1838).
"Liste Chronologique des rois de France"
.
Elements de paleographie
. Vol. 1.
Ghent University
.
- Jacquin, Emmanuel (2000),
Les Tuileries, Du Louvre a la Concorde
, Editions du Patrimoine, Centres des Monuments Nationaux, Paris. (
ISBN
978-2-85822-296-4
)
- Encyclopædia Britannica Online
- Humphreys, A.L. (1907).
The Kings of France, their Wives and Mistresses
. London.
ASIN
B004Z0M2K2
.
OCLC
1047511953
.
{{
cite book
}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
link
)
- McCarty, L. P. (1890).
"France"
.
The Annual Statistician and Economist
.
Harvard University
: Pacific Press Publishing Company. pp. 327?332.
- Peignot, Gabriel
(1819).
Abrege de l'histoire de France
(in French).
Harvard University
.
- Thoison, E. (1888).
"Table Chronologique"
.
Les sejours des rois de France: 481?1789
. Societe historique et archeologique du Gatinais.
Bibliotheque nationale de France
.
{{
cite book
}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
link
)
Secondary bibliography
[
edit
]
- Alcan, Felix
(1892).
Revue historique
(in French). Vol. 40.
- Blanc, Louis
(1848).
France Under Louis Philippe
. Translated by Walter Kelly.
- Bodin, Felix (1840).
Resume de l'histoire de France
. London: Joseph Rickerby. p. 43.
- Bradford, James C. (2004).
International Encyclopedia of Military History
. Routledge.
ISBN
9781135950347
.
- Brownell, Henry
(1854).
"The Rulers of France"
.
The People's Book of Ancient and Modern History
. Dayton & Wentworth.
- Brunel, G. (2007).
"Les cisterciens et Charles V"
.
Societe de l'histoire de France
: 67?92.
JSTOR
23408518
.
- Castelot, Andre (1988).
Charles X
. Librairie Academique Perrin.
ISBN
2-262-00545-1
.
- Curry, Anne (1993).
The Hundred Years War
. Macmillan.
ISBN
9781349227112
.
- Champion, Honore (1976).
Robert Ier et Raoul de Bourgogne
. Slatkine. pp. 9?11.
- Dutton, Paul E. (1994).
The Politics of Dreaming in the Carolingian Empire
. University of Nebraska Press. p. 227.
ISBN
9780803216532
.
- Holoman, D. Kern (2004).
The Societe Des Concerts Du Conservatoire, 1828?1967
.
University of California Press
.
ISBN
9780520236646
.
- Knecht, Robert (2007).
The Valois: Kings of France
. A&C Black.
ISBN
9781852855222
.
- Knecht, Robert (2016).
Hero or Tyrant? Henry III, King of France
. Routledge.
ISBN
9781317122142
.
- McKitterick, Rosamond (1995).
The New Cambridge Medieval History
. Vol. 2. Cambridge University Press. p. 137.
ISBN
9780521362924
.
- MacLean, Simon (2003).
Charles the Fat and the End of the Carolingian Empire
. Cambridge University Press.
ISBN
9781139440295
.
- Jackson, Richard A. (1995).
Ordines Coronationis Franciae
.
University of Pennsylvania Press
.
ISBN
9781512821604
.
JSTOR
j.ctt1kgqwvd
.
- Havet, Julien (1891).
"Les couronnements des rois Hugues et Robert"
.
Revue historique
.
45
: 290?297.
JSTOR
40939391
.
- Wellman, Kathleen (2013).
Queens and Mistresses of Renaissance France
.
Yale University Press
.
ISBN
9780300178852
.
Further reading
[
edit
]