List of French monarchs
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The monarchs of France ruled, first as kings and later as emperors (Bonapartes only), from the Middle Ages to 1870. There is some disagreement as to when France came into existence. The earliest date would be the establishment of the Merovingian Frankish kingdom by Clovis I in 486 with the defeat of Syagrius, the last Roman official in Gaul. That kingdom's rulers were deposed in the 8th century. The Treaty of Verdun established the Kingdom of Western Francia in 843.
In light of these recent trends, this list begins with Charles the Bald and the Kingdom of Western Francia, originating in 843, the state which would directly evolve into modern France. For earlier Frankish monarchs, see List of Frankish Kings.
In addition to the monarchs listed below, the Kings of England and Great Britain from 1340–1360 and 1369–1801 also claimed the title of King of France. For a short time, this had some basis in fact—under the terms of the 1420 Treaty of Troyes, Charles VI had recognized his son-in-law Henry V of England as regent and heir. Henry V predeceased Charles VI and so his son, Henry VI, succeeded his grandfather as King of France. Most of Northern France was under English control until 1435, but by 1453, the English had been expelled from all of France save Calais (and the Channel Islands), and Calais itself fell in 1558. Nevertheless, English monarchs continued to claim the title until the creation of the United Kingdom in 1801. Various English kings between 1337 and 1422 had also claimed the title of King of France, but only intermittently.
The title "King of the Franks" (Latin: Rex Francorum) remained in use until the reign of Philip IV. 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" 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 people, not to the territory of France.
- See also List of Frankish Kings
The name of France comes from the Germanic tribe known as the Franks. The Merovingian kings began as mere chieftains, the oldest known being Pharamond. Clovis I was the first of these to rise to true kingship. After his death, his kingdom was split between his sons into Soissons ( Neustria), Paris, Orleans ( Burgundy), and Metz ( Austrasia). Various other kingdoms would continue to break apart and be formed as the various Merovingian kings warred with each other.
The Carolingians overpowered the Merovingian kings. First they became their majordomos (mayor of the palace) in Austrasia. Eventually, they united the entire Frankish kingdom for the first time since Clovis. With Mayor Pippin the Younger, the Merovingians were completely phased out. The Carolingian Dynasty would be the first true French monarchy. The great and extended kingdom of Pippin's son, the legendary Charlemagne (Charles I), was split by Louis I (Louis the Pious). In 843, while Louis's son Lothair was in power, the great Frankish kingdom was split. The Eastern Kingdom became Germany, the Middle Kingdom became Lotharingia and later part of the Holy Roman Empire, and the Western Kingdom became France. Charles the Bald was the first ruler of the independent West Franks (France).
Carolingian Dynasty (843 to 987)
| Portrait | Name | King From | King Until |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Charles II the Bald (Charles II le Chauve) |
843 | October 6, 877 |
| Louis II the Stammerer (Louis II le Bègue) |
October 6, 877 | April 10, 879 | |
 |
Louis III | April 10, 879 | August 5, 882 |
 |
Carloman II | April 10, 879 | December 6, 884 |
 |
Charles the Fat (Charles le Gros) |
885 | January 13, 888 |
 |
Odo (Eudes de Paris) |
February 29, 888 | January 1, 898 |
 |
Charles III the Simple (Charles III le Simple) |
January 1, 898 | June 30, 922 |
 |
Robert I | June 30, 922 | June 15, 923 |
 |
Rudolph (Raoul de France) |
July 13, 923 | January 14, 936 |
 |
Louis IV from Overseas (Louis IV d'Outremer) |
June 19, 936 | September 10, 954 |
 |
Lothair (Lothaire de France) |
November 12, 954 | March 2, 986 |
 |
Louis V the Lazy (Louis V le Fainéant) |
June 8, 986 | May 22, 987 |
Capetian Dynasty, Direct Capetians (987 to 1328)
The Capetian Dynasty, the male-line descendants of Hugh Capet ruled France continuously from 987 to 1792 and again from 1814 to 1848. The branches of the dynasty which ruled after 1328, however, are generally given the specific branch names of Valois and Bourbon.
| Portrait | Name | King From | King Until |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Hugh Capet (Hugues Capet) |
July 3, 987 | October 24, 996 |
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Robert II the Pious (Robert II le Pieux) |
October 24, 996 | July 20, 1031 |
 |
Henry I (Henri Ier) |
July 20, 1031 | August 4, 1060 |
 |
Philip I (Philippe Ier) |
August 4, 1060 | July 29, 1108 |
 |
Louis VI the Fat (Louis VI le Gros) |
July 29, 1108 | August 1, 1137 |
 |
Louis VII the Young (Louis VII le Jeune) |
August 1, 1137 | September 18, 1180 |
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Philip II Augustus (Philippe II Auguste) |
September 18, 1180 | July 14, 1223 |
 |
Louis VIII the Lion (Louis VIII le Lion) |
July 14, 1223 | November 8, 1226 |
 |
Louis IX the Saint (Saint Louis) |
November 8, 1226 | August 25, 1270 |
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Philip III the Bold (Philippe III le Hardi) |
August 25, 1270 | October 5, 1285 |
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Philip IV the Fair (Philippe IV le Bel) |
October 5, 1285 | November 29, 1314 |
 |
Louis X the Quarreller (Louis X le Hutin) |
November 29, 1314 | June 5, 1316 |
 |
John I the Posthumous (Jean Ier le Posthume) |
November 15, 1316 | November 20, 1316 |
 |
Philip V the Tall (Philippe V le Long) |
November 20, 1316 | January 3, 1322 |
 |
Charles IV the Fair (Charles IV le Bel) |
January 3, 1322 | February 1, 1328 |
Not listed above are Hugh Magnus, eldest son of Robert II, and Philip of France, eldest son of Louis VI: both were co-Kings with their fathers (in accordance with the early Capetian practice whereby Kings would crown their heirs in their own lifetimes and share power with the co-king), but predeceased them. 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.
Capetian Dynasty, House of Valois (1328-1589)
Direct Valois (1328-1498)
| Portrait | Name | King From | King Until |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Philip VI of Valois, the Fortunate (Philippe VI de Valois, 'le Fortuné) |
February 1, 1328 | August 22, 1350 |
 |
John II the Good (Jean II le Bon) |
August 22, 1350 | April 8, 1364 |
| Charles V the Wise (Charles V le Sage) |
April 8, 1364 | September 16, 1380 | |
 |
Charles VI the Beloved, the Mad (Charles VI le Bienaimé, le Fol) |
September 16, 1380 | October 21, 1422 |
| Charles VII the Victorious, the Well-Served (Charles VII le Victorieux, le Bien-Servi) |
October 21, 1422 | July 22, 1461 | |
| 80px | Louis XI the Prudent, the Spider (Louis XI le Prudent, l'Araignée) |
July 22, 1461 | August 30, 1483 |
 |
Charles VIII the Affable (Charles VIII l'Affable) |
August 30, 1483 | April 7, 1498 |
From 1422 to 1453, Henry VI of England was King in northern France, although after the coronation of Charles VII in 1429 Henry's power was weakened, and much English held territory was lost. Henry was, however, crowned King of France in Paris in 1431. He is not generally listed as a genuine King of France, merely as a pretender.
Capetian Dynasty, Valois- Orléans Branch (1498-1515)
| Portrait | Name | King From | King Until |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Louis XII Father of the People (Louis XII le Père du Peuple) |
April 7, 1498 | January 1, 1515 |
Capetian Dynasty, Valois- Angoulême Branch (1515-1589)
| Portrait | Name | King From | King Until |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Francis I the Father and Restorer of Letters (François Ier le Père et Restaurateur des Lettres) |
January 1, 1515 | March 31, 1547 |
| 80px | Henry II (Henri II) |
March 31, 1547 | July 10, 1559 |
| 80px | Francis II (François II) |
July 10, 1559 | December 5, 1560 |
 |
Charles IX | December 5, 1560 | May 30, 1574 |
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Henry III (Henri III) |
May 30, 1574 | August 2, 1589 |
Capetian Dynasty, House of Bourbon (1589-1792)
| Portrait | Name | King From | King Until |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Henry IV, Good King Henry (Henri IV, le Bon Roi Henri) |
August 2, 1589 | May 14, 1610 |
 |
Louis XIII the Just (Louis XIII le Juste) |
May 14, 1610 | May 14, 1643 |
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Louis XIV, the Sun King (Louis XIV, le Roi Soleil) |
May 14, 1643 | September 1, 1715 |
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Louis XV the Beloved (Louis XV, le Bien-Aimé) |
September 1, 1715 | May 10, 1774 |
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Louis XVI | May 10, 1774 | August 10, 1792 |
From 21 January 1793 to 8 June 1795, Louis XVI's son Louis-Charles was the titular King of France as Louis XVII; in reality, however, he was imprisoned in the Temple throughout this duration, and power was held by the leaders of the Republic. Upon Louis' death, his uncle Louis-Stanislas claimed the throne, as Louis XVIII, but only became de facto King of France in 1814.
First Republic (1792-1804)
Many people were monarchists at the time and consequently refused to recognise the overthrow of the monarchy, and considered Louis XVI's reign to have continued until his death in 1793, then his son Louis XVII to have reigned until his death in 1795, with Louis XVIII's reign then commencing, hence the numbering.
Bonaparte Dynasty, First Empire (1804-1814)
| Portrait | Name | Emperor From | Emperor Until |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Napoleon I (Napoléon Ier) |
May 18, 1804 | April 11, 1814 |
Capetian Dynasty, House of Bourbon, Restored (1814)
| Portrait | Name | King From | King Until |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Louis XVIII | May 2, 1814 | March 13, 1815 |
Bonaparte Dynasty, First Empire, Restored ( The Hundred Days, 1815)
| Portrait | Name | Emperor From | Emperor Until |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Napoleon I (Napoléon Ier) |
March 20, 1815 | June 22, 1815 |
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Napoleon II the Eaglet (Napoléon II, l'Aiglon) |
June 22 1815 | July 7, 1815 |
Capetian Dynasty, House of Bourbon, Restored (1815-1830)
| Portrait | Name | King From | King Until |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Louis XVIII | July 7, 1815 | September 16, 1824 |
 |
Charles X | September 16, 1824 | August 2, 1830 |
The elder son and heir of Charles X, the Dauphin Louis-Antoine, is occasionally considered to have legally been the King of France as Louis XIX in the 20 minutes that passed between Charles X's formal signature of abdication and the Dauphin's own signature.
Henri d'Artois, Charles X's grandnephew, was considered by monarchists to be the titular King of France, as Henry V from 2 August, 1830 to 9 August, 1830, but his reign remained largely fictional, as he acceeded in a revolutionary context and hence was never recognized by the French State. He is generally not accounted for in lists of official French monarchs.
Capetian Dynasty, House of Bourbon-Orléans ( The Monarchy of July 1830-1848)
| Portrait | Name | King From | King Until |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Louis-Philippe I the Citizen King (Louis Philippe, le Roi Citoyen) |
August 9, 1830 | February 24, 1848 |
Second Republic, Restored (1848 - 1852)
The Second French Republic lasted from 1848 to 1852, when its president, Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, was declared Emperor of the French.
Bonaparte Dynasty, Second Empire, Restored (1852-1870)
| Portrait | Name | Emperor From | Emperor Until |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Napoleon III (Napoléon III) |
December 2, 1852 | September 4, 1870 |
Government of National Defense ( Paris Commune 1870 - 1871)
The transition period between the fall of the Second Empire after the capture of Napoleon III by the Prussians and the assumption of the Third Republic by General Louis Jules Trochu.
Heads of State following 1871
The chronology of Head of State of France continues with the Presidents of the French Republic and short term interim periods by the Chief of State of the French State (1940–1944), the Chairman of the Provisional Government of the French Republic (1944–1946) and the president of the French Senate (1969 and 1974) during the Fifth Republic.
Later pretenders
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 each other. These groups are:
- Legitimist claimants to the throne of France—descendants of the Bourbons, rejecting all heads of state since 1830. Some "fusionists" recognized the Orléanist claimant after 1883.
- Orléanist claimants to the throne of France—descendants of Louis-Phillippe, rejecting all heads of state since 1848.
- Bonapartist claimants to the throne of France—descendants of Napoleon I and his brothers, rejecting all heads of state 1815–52, and since 1870.
- Jacobite claimants to the throne of France—descendants of King Edward III of England, also claiming Scotland, and Ireland.
