European Medieval Monarchs Codexery

Charles IV of France

Last direct Capetian king, his death sparked succession disputes.

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He was known as "the Fair" in France and "the Bald" in Navarre.[1] His reign ended the direct Capetian line because he died without a surviving male heir.[2] Charles IV, who ruled France and Navarre from 1322 until his death in 1328, was the final monarch from the direct line of the House of Capet.[1]

Life and work

Charles was the third son of Philip IV and claimed the title King of Navarre through his mother, Joan I of Navarre.[1][3] Before becoming king, he held the title Count of La Marche from 1314 and was crowned at Reims in 1322.[3] He was considered a conservative, "strait-laced" king who defended his prerogatives rigidly.[3] His first wife, Blanche of Burgundy, was imprisoned after the Tour de Nesle scandals, and their marriage was annulled in 1322.[4][5]

He married his third wife, Jeanne d'Évreux, in 1325 with papal approval, and her 1326 coronation was a lavish event featuring the first recorded appearance of cook Guillaume Tirel.[6] Charles relied heavily on his uncle, Charles of Valois, for military and advisory tasks during the first half of his reign.[7] His administration became unpopular through debasing coinage, selling offices, and increasing taxation.[8] Marie of Luxembourg, Charles's second wife, passed away after giving birth prematurely.[4]

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Charles IV of France" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Kibler, p.201.; "Charles IV (of France)", Microsoft Corporation, 2008 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Charles IV of France" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Wagner, p.250. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  3. Wikipedia, "Charles IV of France" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Sumption, p.101.; Sumption, p.97.; Sumption, p.97. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Charles IV of France" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Echols and Williams, p.87.; Echols and Williams, p.87.; Echols and Williams, p.328. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Charles IV of France" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Stasser, p. 5.; Stasser, p. 5. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  6. Wikipedia, "Charles IV of France" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Lord, p.47.; Lord, p.48.; Lord, p.48.; Lord, p.48. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  7. Wikipedia, "Charles IV of France" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Kibler, p.201.; Kibler, p.210.; Wagner, p.250.; Kibler, p.201. (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  8. Wikipedia, "Charles IV of France" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Kibler, p.201.; Kibler, p.201.; "Charles IV (of France)", Microsoft Corporation, 2008 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Charles IV of France (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

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Sources

Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

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