Search results
List of French monarchs. 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.
- Merovingian Dynasty
- Carolingian Dynasty
- Capetian Dynasty
- First Republic
- House of Bourbon
- Second Republic
- Heads of State Following 1871
The name of France comes from the Germanic tribe known as the Franks. The Merovingian kings began as chieftains. The oldest known was Chlodio. 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, Orléans (Burgundy), and Metz (Austrasia). Several Merovingia...
Three of the twelve kings during the 147-year Carolingian Dynasty – Odo, his brother Robert I and Robert's son in law Raoul/Rudolph – were not from the Carolingian Dynasty but from the rival Robertian Dynasty. The Robertian Dynasty became the Capetian Dynasty with when Hugh Capettook the throne in 987. |}
The Capetian Dynasty, the male-line descendants of Hugh Capet, ruled France from 987 to 1792 and again from 1814 to 1848. The branches of the dynasty which ruled after 1328 are generally called Valois and Bourbon.
The First French Republic lasted from 1792 to 1804, when its First Consul, Napoleon Bonaparte, declared himself Emperor of the French.
The elder son of Charles X, the Dauphin Louis-Antoine, is sometimes said to have legally been the King of France as Louis XIX. This is in the 20 minutes between Charles X's formal signature of abdication and the Dauphin's own signature. Henri d'Artois, Charles X's grandson, is said by monarchists to be the King of France, as Henry Vfrom 2 August 18...
The Second French Republic lasted from 1848 to 1852, when its president, Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, was declared Emperor of the French.
The chronology of Head of State of France continues with the Presidents of France. There were short-term 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.
May 19, 2024 · A chronological list of the leaders who have ruled France from the Carolingian Empire to the modern republic. Learn about the dynasties, wars, revolutions, and kings of France from Hugh Capet to Napoleon Bonaparte.
France - Kings, Revolution, Napoleon: Charlemagne, Louis XIV, the House of Bourbon, and other major rulers and dynasties of France.
May 20, 2024 · Louis XIV, king of France (1643–1715) who ruled his country during one of its most brilliant periods and who remains the symbol of absolute monarchy of the classical age. He extended France’s eastern borders at the expense of the Habsburgs and secured the Spanish throne for his grandson.
- What is Louis XIV known for?Louis XIV, king of France (1643–1715), ruled his country, principally from his great palace at Versailles, during one of the country’s most brillia...
- How old was Louis XIV when he acceded to the throne?Louis XIV succeeded his father as king of France on May 14, 1643, at the age of four years eight months. According to the laws of the kingdom, he b...
- How did Louis XIV die?Louis XIV died in 1715, four days shy of his 77th birthday, from gangrene associated with an infection in his leg.
People also ask
Who were the major rulers of France?
When did the French name 'King of France' come out?
Who is the most powerful king in French history?
Who was the first king of France?
During its long history, France has gone through numerous types of government. Under the Fifth Republic, France’s current system, the head of state is the president, who is elected by direct universal suffrage. The table provides a list of the major rulers of
Mar 5, 2024 · Learn about the kings of France who ruled from the Capetian dynasty to the end of monarchy in 1848. Find out their names, years, houses, and roles in French history, as well as FAQs and references.
