Family History - George Leroux and Eileen O'Connor

Royal Families - France - 768 to 1848

French Royal Families - 768 to 1848

I've elected to start the French Lineage with Charlemagne (Charles the 1st). There were kings before him, but Charlemagne is recognized as uniting the majority of western and central Europe and was the first recognized emperor to rule from western Europe since the fall of the Western Roman Empire around three centuries earlier, and in 768 becoming King of the Francs. I am likely related to Charlemagne, but have not yet found that connection.

My entry into the French rulers is via Eadgifu of Wessex, the sister of Edward the Elder, King of the Anglo-Saxons from 899 to 924, who was my 32nd Great-Grandfather. France then entered into a period where monarchs were succeeded from different houses, and I have not yet discovered any relationships. In 1226, Louis IX ascended the Throne, the son of Louis VIII, who ties back to Edward the Elder. From that point on, my family has direct ties to the French Royalty until the end of the French Monarchy, starting with the proclamation of the First Republic;

I have (so far) focused on documenting the legitimate families of the Monarchs - they were very prolific with both the number of mistresses and their issue, so at this point I haven't got to the point of documenting some of the more famous, such as The Man in the Iron Mask, made famous by Alexandre Dumas (pere) in The Vicomte of Bragelonne: Ten Years Later, the final installment of his D'Artagnan saga - a series I read several times growing up. Although the name of this prisoner is unknown, various candidates include being Louis XIV's older (illigimate) brother or his twin. Note that the mask was likely black velvet cloth - Voltaire was responsible for suggesting that it was iron, which frankly made for a more exciting story.

My cousin Louis XIV has the longest recorded Monarchy in recorded history - and will unless my cousin Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom overtakes him in 2024.


Name Reign From to House Claim Relationship Comment
Charlemagne (Charles I) 768 814 Carolingian

King of the Franks
Louis I (the Pious) 813 840 Carolingian Son of Charlemagne
King of the Franks
Charles II (the Bald) 840 877 Carolingian Son of Louis I
King of the Franks
Louis II (the Stammerer) 877 879 Carolingian Son of Charles the Bald

Louis III (joint with Carloman below) 879 822 Carolingian Son of Louis the Stammerer

Carloman (joint with Louis III above, until 882) 879 884 Carolingian Son of Louis the Stammerer

Charles the Fat 884 888 Carolingian Son of Louis II the German, Cousin once removed of Carloman II and Louis III, Grandson of Louis I

Eudes (also Odo) of Paris (non-Carolingian) 888 898 Robertian Son of Robert the Strong

Charles III (the Simple) 898 922 Carolingian Posthumous son of Louis II spouse of 31st great-grandaunt Deposed. Related via Eadgifu of Wessex (my 31st great Grand-Aunt)
Robert I (non-Carolingian) 922 923 Robertian

Son of Robert the Strong
Raoul (also Rudolf, non-Carolingian) 923 936 Bosonid Son-in-law of Robert I

Louis IV (d'Outremer or The Foreigner) 936 954 Carolingian Son of Charles III the Simple 1st cousin 32x removed
Lothar (also Lothaire) 954 986 Carolingian Son of Louis IV 2nd cousin 31x removed
Louis V (the Do-Nothing) 986 87 Carolingian Son of Lothair 3rd cousin 30x removed
Hugh Capet 987 966 Capetian Grandson of Robert I

Robert II (the Pious) 996 1031 Capetian Son of Hugh Capet

Hughes the Great 1017 1025 Capetian Son of Robert II
Co-King with his father
Henry I 1031 1060 Capetian Son of Robert II

Philip I 1060 1108 Capetian Son of Henry I
Succeded at age 8; ruled under the regency of Anne of Kiev and Count Balwin V until 1067
Louis VI (the Fat) 1108 1137 Capetian Son of Philip I

Philip 1129 1131 Capetian Son of Louis VI
Co-ruling with his father
Louis VII (the Young) 1137 1180 Capetian Son of Louis VI

Philip II Augustus 1180 1223 Capetian Son of Louis VII
Title changes from King of the Franks to King of France
Louis VIII (the Lion) 1223 1226 Capetian Son of Philip II

Louis IX (St. Louis) 1226 1270 Capetian Son of Louis VIII 5th cousin 22x removed Succeded at age 12, ruled under the regency of Blanche of Castile until 1234.
Philippe III (the Bold) 1270 1285 Capetian Son of Louis IX 6th cousin 21x removed
Philip IV (the Fair) 1285 1314 Capetian Son of Philip III 8th cousin 19x removed
Louis X (the Stubborn) 1314 1316 Capetian Son of Philip IV 8th cousin 19x removed
John I 1316 1316 Capetian Posthumus son of Louis X 9th cousin 18x removed King for the five days he lived
Philip V (the Tall) 1316 1322 Capetian Son of Philip IV 8th cousin 19x removed
Charles IV (the Fair) 1322 1328 Capetian Younger brother of Philip V 8th cousin 19x removed
Philip VI 1328 1350 Valois Grandson of Philip III, Cousin of Charles IV 8th cousin 19x removed
John II (the Good) 1350 1364 Valois Son of Philip VI 9th cousin 18x removed
Charles V (the Wise) 1364 1380 Valois Son of John I 10th cousin 17x removed
Charles VI (the Mad, Well-Beloved, or Foolish) 1380 1422 Valois Son of Charles V 11st cousin 16x removed
Henry VI of England (Claimant) 1422 1453 Valois Maternal grandson of Charles V, Recognized as heir after the Treaty of Troyes 11st cousin 16x removed Disputed
Charles VII (the Well-Served or Victorious) 1422 1461 Valois Son of Charles VI, Uncle of Henry VI of England 12th cousin 15x removed
Louis XI (the Spider) 1461 1483 Valois Son of Charles VII 13th cousin 14x removed
Charles VIII (Father of his People) 1483 1498 Valois Son of Louis XI 14th cousin 13x removed
Louis XII 1498 1515 Valois
13th cousin 14x removed Great-grandson of Charles V, Second cousin, and by first marriage son-in-law of Louis XI, Second cousin once removed to Charles VIII.
Francis I (the Father and Restorer of Letters) 1515 1547 Valois
14th cousin 13x removed Great-great-grandson of Charles V, First cousin once removed, and by first marriage son-in-law of Louis XII
Henry II 1547 1559 Valois Son of Francis I 15th cousin 12x removed
Francis II 1559 1560 Valois Son of Henry II 16th cousin 11x removed Married Mary Stuart of Scotland (Mary, Queen of Scots)
Charles IX 1560 1574 Valois Younger brother of Francis II 16th cousin 11x removed
Henry III 1574 1598 Valois Younger brother of Charles IX 16th cousin 11x removed Also King of Poland (1573-1575)
Charles de Bourbon (Claimant) 1589 1590 Bourbon
17th cousin 10x removed Great-great-great grandson of Louis IX of France, Proclaimed King by the Catholic League and the Parliament of Paris in opposition to Henry IV of Navarre.
Henry IV (the Great, the Good King) 1598 1610 Bourbon
17th cousin 10x removed 5th great-grandson of Charles VII and nephew of Charles de Bourbon, By first marriage son in law of Henry II, brother in law of Francis II, Charles IX and Henry III
Louis XIII 1610 1643 Bourbon Son of Henry IV 18th cousin 9x removed
Louis XIV (the Sun King) 1643 1715 Bourbon Son of Louis XIII 19th cousin 8x removed Succeded at the age of 5; ruled under the regency of his mother Anne of Austria until 1651. Longest reigning monarch in recorded history
Louis XV 1715 1774 Bourbon Great-grandson of Louis XIV 21st cousin 6x removed Succeded at the age of 5; ruled under the regency of Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, until 1723
Louis XVI 1774 1792 Bourbon Grandson of Louis XV 23rd cousin 4x removed Forced to install a constitutional monarchy after 1789. Formally deposed following the proclamation of the First Republic; executed on 21 January 1793
Louis XVII Charles (Claimant) 1793 1795 Bourbon Son of Louis XVI He is/was my 24th cousin 3x removed Remained in captivity during the entirety of his "reign"
Napolean I 1804 1814 House of Bonaparte, 1st Empire

Emperor of France. First Consul of France following the Coup of 18 Brumaire in 1799, conquered most of Europe in a series of succesful wars
Louis XVIII (the Desired) 1814 1815 Capetian Younger brother of Louis XVI 23rd cousin 4x removed
Napolean I 1815 1515 House of Bonapart

Emperor of France. Restored following his escape from the Island of Elba, Abdicated in favour of his son
Napolean II (Claimant) 1815 1815 House of Bonapart Son of Napoleon I
Emperor of France. Remained his entire "reign" of 15 days hidden in Austria, with his mother
Louis XVIII (the Desired) - Resumed 1815 1824 Capetian Younger brother of Louis XVI 23rd cousin 4x removed
Charles X Philippe 1824 1830 Capetian Younger brother of Louis XVI and Louis XVIII 23rd cousin 4x removed Abdicated in favour of his nephew, Henry
Louis XIX Antoine (Claimant) 1830 1830 Capetian Son of Charles X 24th cousin 3x removed Disputed: Allegedly king for 20 minutes before his own abdication
Henry V Charles (Claimant) 1830 1830 Capetian Nephew of Louis Antoine 23rd cousin 4x removed 7 days; disputed
Louis Philippe I (the Citizen King) 1830 1848 Orleans Sixth generation descendant of Louis XIII in the male line. Fifth cousin of Louis XVI, Louis XVIII and Charles X 23rd cousin 4x removed Abdicated in favour of his 10-year-old grandson
Louis Philippe II 1848 1848
Grandson of Louis-Philippe 25th cousin 2x removed 2 days; disputed
Napoleon III 1852 1870 House of Bonaparte, 2nd Empire Nephew of Napoleon I
Emperor of France. Captured by the German army on 2 September 1870; deposed following the proclamation of the French Second Republic
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