 |
Wikipedia | ||||
| |||||
- King Louis VI of France
- AKA: Louis the Fat
Louis VI the Fat Capet of France, King of France, was born 1 December 1081 in Paris to Philip I of France (1052-1108) and Bertha van Holland (c1058-1094) and died 1 August 1137 Béthisy-Saint-Pierre of unspecified causes. He married Lucienne de Rochefort (1088-aft1137) 1104 JL . He married Adèle de Savoie (1092-1154) 15 August 1115 JL in France.
Biography
The crowning of Louis VI in Orléans.
King Louis VI, also known as Louis the Fat, was the King of France from 1108 until his death in 1137. He was born on December 1, 1081, and was the son of King Philip I of France and his first wife, Bertha van Holland (c1058-1094).[lower-alpha 1]
Abbot Suger of Saint Denis, who wrote a biography of Louis VI, tells us:
"In his youth, growing courage matured his spirit with youthful vigour, making him bored with hunting and the boyish games with which others of his age used to enjoy themselves and forget the pursuit of arms." And "How valiant he was in youth, and with what energy he repelled the king of the English, William Rufus, when he attacked Louis' inherited kingdom."[2]
Louis VI inherited the throne at the age of 27, after the death of his father. His reign was marked by several important achievements, including the consolidation of the power of the monarchy and the expansion of the royal domain. He also worked to establish order and justice throughout the kingdom, and he was known for his efforts to protect the rights and freedoms of the common people.
One of Louis VI's most significant achievements was his victory over the rebellious lords in the Battle of Brenne in 1119. This victory helped to strengthen the central authority of the monarchy and paved the way for future kings to expand their power over the feudal lords.
Another important accomplishment of Louis VI was his establishment of a system of royal officers known as baillis, who were responsible for administering justice and enforcing royal authority in the provinces. This system helped to extend the reach of the central government and to ensure that justice was dispensed fairly throughout the kingdom.
Louis VI was also known for his religious piety and his support of the Catholic Church. He was a benefactor of several monasteries and churches, and he worked to promote the moral and religious well-being of his subjects.
Louis VI died on August 1, 1137, and was succeeded by his son, Louis VII de France (1120-1180). He was buried in the Basilica of St. Denis, where many French monarchs are interred.
Succession of the Crown
Finally, on 9 April 1137, a dying William X, Duke of Aquitaine appointed Louis VI guardian of his fifteen-year-old daughter and heiress, Eleanor of Aquitaine.[3] Eleanor was suddenly the most eligible heiress in Europe, and Louis wasted no time in marrying her to his own heir, the future Louis VII, at the Cathedral of Saint-André in Bordeaux on 25 July 1137.[3] At a stroke Louis had added one of the most powerful duchies in France to the Capetian domains.
Family
Epitaph of Louis VI from the Basilica of St Denis, now at Cluny Museum
1st Marriage: Lucienne de Rochefort
Louis married Lucienne de Rochefort (1088-aft1137) in 1104, the daughter of his father's seneschal. The marriage was annulled on 23 May 1107 at the Council of Troyes by Pope Paschal II.[4] They had no children
He married in 1104: 1) Lucienne de Rochefort —
2nd Marriage: Adèle de Savoie
On 3 August 1115 Louis married Adèle de Savoie (1092-1154), daughter of Humbert II of Savoy and of Gisela of Burgundy, and niece of Pope Callixtus II. They had eight children. Adelaide was one of the most politically active of all France's medieval queens. Her name appears on 45 royal charters from the reign of Louis VI. During her time as queen (1115–1137), royal charters were dated with both her regnal year and that of the king.
King Louis VI of France had several children with his wife Adelaide. Their children:
Their children:
- Philippe Capet (1116-1131) , King of the Franks (1129–31), not to be confused with his brother of the same name; he died as a result of a fall from a horse.
- Louis VII de France (1120-1180), - King of the Franks (1131-1180)
- Henry Capet (1121-1175), - Archbishop of Reims[5]
- Hugues Capet (c1122-?) (– died young).
- Robert I de Dreux (c1123-1188), - count of Dreux[6]
- Pierre de Courtenay (1126-1183)[7] , married Elizabeth, Lady of Courtenay[8]
- Constance Capet (c1124-1176) , married first Eustace IV, count of Boulogne, and then Raymond V of Toulouse
- Philip Capet (1125-1161) , Archdeacon of Paris[9]
Other Relationships
King Louis VI also had several illegitimate children, including
With Marie de Breuillet, daughter of Renaud de Breuillet de Dourdan,[10] Louis VI was the father of a daughter:
- Isabelle (ca 1105 – before 1175), married (ca. 1119) Guillaume I of Chaumont in 1117[11]
With Unknown
- a son named Guy, who became the Bishop of Soissons, and
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Philippe Capet (1116-1131) | 29 August 1116 | 13 October 1131 Paris | |
| Louis VII de France (1120-1180) | 1120 Paris, France | 18 September 1180 | Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122-1204) Constance of Castile (c1140-1160) Alice de Champagne (1140-1206) |
| Henry Capet (1121-1175) | |||
| Hugues Capet (c1122-?) | |||
| Robert I de Dreux (c1123-1188) | 1123 | 11 October 1188 | Agnes de Garlande (1122-1143) Hawise of Salisbury (1118-1152) Agnès de Baudement (1130-1204) |
| Constance Capet (c1124-1176) | 1124 | 1176 | Eustache IV de Blois (c1129-1153) Raymond V de Toulouse (1134-1194) |
| Philip Capet (1125-1161) | |||
| Pierre de Courtenay (1126-1183) | September 1126 | 10 April 1183 | Elizabeth de Courtenay (1127-1205) |
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Isabelle Capet (c1105-bef1175) | |||
Siblings
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Constance Capet (1078-c1125) | 1078 | 1 January 1125 | Hugh de Champagne (c1074-1125) Bohemond I of Antioch (c1058-1111) |
| Louis VI of France (1081-1137) | 1 December 1081 Paris | 1 August 1137 Béthisy-Saint-Pierre | Lucienne de Rochefort (1088-aft1137) Adèle de Savoie (1092-1154) Marie de Breuillet |
| Henry Capet (1083-?) | |||
| Charles Capet (1085-?) | |||
| Eudes Capet (1087-1096) | |||
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Philippe Capet (?-?) | |||
| Fleury Capet (1093-1119) | 1093 | 1119 | Alice de Nangis |
| Cecile Capet (?-1145) | |||
Ancestry Trees
See Also
- wikipedia:en:Louis VI of France
- Louis VI, Roi des Francs at thePeerage
- Capetian Kings - Foundation for Medieval Genealogy
- Louis VI of France - Geni.com
- Louis VI of France at Find A Grave
- Bouchard, Constance Brittain (2004), "The Kingdom of the Frank to 1108", in David Luscombe; Jonathan Riley-Smith, The New Cambridge Medieval History, 4, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 9781139054034
- Bradbury, Jim (2007). The Capetians: Kings of France, 987-1328. Hambledon Continuum.
- Cantor, Norman F. (1993), The Civilization of the Middle Ages, ISBN 978-0060925536
- Devailly, Guy (1973), Le Berry du Xe siècle au milieu du XIIIe, Mouton, p. 399, ISBN 9783111631066, https://books.google.com/books?id=2YpdDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22les+historiens+contemporains+penchent+%C3%A0+juste+titre+pour+1108%22&pg=PA399
- Diffie, Bailey W. (1960), Prelude to Empire: Portugal Overseas before Henry the Navigator, The University of Nebraska Press, ISBN 9780803250499
- Dufour, Jean (January–June 1986), "Un Faux de Louis VI Relatif a Liancourt (Oise)" (in FR), Bibliothèque de l'École des Chartes 144 (1): 39–67, doi:10.3406/bec.1986.450405, https://www.persee.fr/doc/bec_0373-6237_1986_num_144_1_450405.
- Fawtier, Robert (1989), The Capetian Kings of France, Macmillan, ISBN 9780333087213
- Gilbert of Mons (2005), Chronicle of Hainaut, The Boydell Press, ISBN 9781843831204
- Halphen, Louis (1926), "France: Louis VI and Louis VII (1108–1180)", in J.R. Tanner; C.W. Previté-Orton; Z.N. Brooke, The Cambridge Medieval History: Contest of Empire and Papacy, V, Macmillan, pp. 592–623, https://archive.org/details/cambridgemedieva05buryuoft/
- Legeard, Emmanuel (September 2021), "Le Siège de Germigny en Bourbonnais" (in FR), Bulletin de la Société d'Emulation du Bourbonnais 80 (3): 388–404, https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03337329
- Lewis, Andrew W. (1985), "Fourteen Charters of Robert I of Dreux (1152–1188)", Traditio 41: 145–179, doi:10.1017/S0362152900006887
- Lewis, Andrew W. (1995), "The Career of Philip the Cleric, younger Brother of Louis VII: Apropos of an Unpublished Charter", Traditio (Cambridge University Press) 50: 111–127, doi:10.1017/S0362152900013192
- Luchaire, Achille (1890) (in fr), Louis VI le Gros: annales de sa vie et de son règne (1081-1137), Paris: Libraire des Archives Nationales et de la Société de l'École des Chartes, https://books.google.com/books?id=qJxWAAAAMAAJ
- Naus, James (2014), "The Historia Iherosolimitana of Robert the Monk and the Coronation of Louis VI", in Marcus Bull; Damien Kempf, Writing the Early Crusades: Text, Transmission and Memory, Boydell Press, pp. 105–115, ISBN 9781843839200
- Rasmussen, Ann Marie (1997), Mothers and Daughters in Medieval German Literature, Syracuse University Press, ISBN 0815603894
- Suger (1999), The Deeds of Louis the Fat, http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/suger-louisthefat.html
- Vincent, Nicholas (1999), "Isabella of Angouleme: John's Jezebel", in S. D. Church, King John: New Interpretations, The Boydell Press, ISBN 9780851157368
- van Caenegem, Raoul (1988), "Government, law and society", in J. H. Burns, The Cambridge History of Medieval Political Thought C.350-c.1450, Cambridge University Press, pp. 174–210, doi:10.1017/CHOL9780521243247.011, ISBN 9781139055390
References
- ^ Bouchard 2004, p. 126.
- ^ Suger 1999, ch. 1.
- ^ a b Fawtier 1989, p. 21.
- ^ Bradbury 2007, p. 132.
- ^ Gilbert of Mons 2005, p. 68, n288.
- ^ Lewis 1985, p. 145.
- ^ Rasmussen 1997, p. 9.
- ^ Vincent 1999, p. 202.
- ^ Lewis 1995, pp. 111,113,116.
- ^ Dufour 1986, p. 46.
- ^ Fawtier 1989, p. 19.
Contemporary References
There are several contemporary references that provide valuable insights into the life of King Louis VI of France. Here are a few of the most notable ones:
- The Chronicon Sancti Maxentii Pictavensis - This chronicle, written by a monk in the mid-12th century, provides a detailed account of Louis VI's reign, including his battles against rebellious lords and his efforts to strengthen the power of the monarchy.
- The Deeds of Louis the Fat by Suger - Suger was a prominent churchman and statesman who served as an advisor to Louis VI. His book, The Deeds of Louis the Fat, provides a firsthand account of the king's reign and his efforts to promote justice and order in the kingdom.
- The Gesta Philippi Augusti by Rigord - Rigord was a chronicler who wrote in the late 12th century. His book, The Deeds of Philip Augustus, covers the reigns of both Louis VI and his son Philip II, and provides a valuable perspective on the political and social developments of the era.
- The Cartulary of Saint-Denis - This collection of documents from the royal abbey of Saint-Denis includes many charters and letters from Louis VI, which offer insight into his policies and priorities.
- The Letters of Peter the Venerable - Peter the Venerable was a prominent churchman who corresponded with Louis VI on several occasions. His letters provide a glimpse into the religious and intellectual concerns of the era, as well as the personal relationship between the king and his advisors.
Louis VI of France (1081-1137) Born: 1 December 1081 Died: 1 August 1137
| ||
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Philip I |
King of the Franks 1108–1137 with Philip as junior king (1129–1131) Louis VII as junior king (1131–1137) |
Succeeded by Louis VII |
Footnotes (including sources)
| § Remains |
|
Rtol, Phlox, Thurstan, MainTour
Cite error: <ref> tags exist for a group named "lower-alpha", but no corresponding <references group="lower-alpha"/> tag was found