Valois is a dynasty of French kings. Her ancestor is considered the brother of Philip IV the Beautiful Charles IV. In this publication, we will talk about the most famous representatives of the house of Valois.
Family Tree Valois
In medieval France, in the province of le-de-France, there was a small county of Valois. Since the X century, the city of Crepe-en-Valois has become its capital. Initially, the county belonged to the Carolingian house and was inherited along the younger line.
In 1285, the lands were in the possession of the brother of Philip IV the Beautiful - Charles IV. He is considered the founder of the house of Valois.
In 1382, the son of Charles, Philip VI, came to power in France. He had 10 children, of which only 2 sons and 1 daughter survived. The third son of Philip VI John II the Good became king of France in 1350. He ruled the state in 1364. Karl the Wise, one of the most famous kings of medieval France, became his successor.
Branches of the Valois Dynasty
The Valois Dynasty has 7 branches:
- Branch of the Dukes of Alencon - comes from the French military leader Charles II. The county house of Alencon was located in the south of the country, within the duchy of Normandy.
- The branch of the Dukes of Anjou - comes from the successor of John II the Good Louis I. This family owned a number of lands outside the state, in particular the Kingdom of Naples. The Anjou branch actually died out in 1480 after the death of Rene Good.
- Branch of the Dukes of Berry - comes from the successor of John II the Good Jean I the Mean. The lands belonging to this family were located in the central part of France (the historical area of Berry with its capital in Bourges). The branch died out in 1461.
- Branch of the Dukes of Burgundy - comes from Philip II the Bold. The kings of the Valois dynasty ruled the lands of Burgundy since 1363. The territories belonging to the family expanded significantly thanks to Philip the Bold. He managed to annex the counties of Artois, Rethel, Flanders and other areas.
- Branch of the Dukes of Brabant - founded by the older generation of the heirs of Philip the Bold. It died out in 1430.
- Branch of the Dukes of Nevers - founded in 1401.
- The branch of the Dukes of Orleans is the most famous family of the house of Valois. The dynasty ascended the throne with Louis XII. The branch actually died out in 1515.
- Branch of the Dukes of Angouleme - comes from the heir of Louis of Orleans, Jean.
Board of Philip VI
Philip VI ascended the French throne in 1328. The most powerful state of medieval Europe passed into his possession. The first thing the newly elected ruler was the war in Flanders. The French army opposed the communes of this county. Philip VI managed to restore the power of his vassal Louis in Flanders.
Soon there was a new conflict, which then turned into a long war. During the reign of Philip VI, his claims to the throne of France were put forward by Edward III. In 1337, he captured one Flemish island. This event was the occasion for the start of the Hundred Years War. We will talk about the most significant battles of this conflict below.
During the life of Philip VI, the French army suffered a serious defeat at Cressy and Calais. The ruler tried to compensate for his military failures by acquiring the cities of Dauphine and Montpellier.
In 1350, Philip VI died. The French throne passed to his son John II the Good.
The most significant events of the first stage of the Hundred Years War
Valois is a dynasty whose fate befell many troubles. The Hundred Years War became the most serious military-political event that took place during her reign. The conflict lasted 116 years. Consider the most significant battles and events of the first stage of the Hundred Years War that occurred during the reign of Philip VI:
- 1340 - naval battle at Slays, which ended with the complete defeat of the French fleet.
- 1341-1364 - war for the Breton inheritance. The battle broke out between the Counts of Blois and Montfort. However, the conflict was not local. On the side of rivals from time to time, the French and English authorities spoke. The world was signed only in 1365. The ruler of the duchy of Brittany was Jean de Montfort.
- 1346 - capture by the English army of the city of Caen in Normandy.
- 1347 - French defeat at the Battle of Calais.
- 1351 - the famous "Fight of thirty." This is one of the most remarkable battles of the first stage of the Hundred Years War.
The reign of John II the Good
John II the Good entered the history of France as a just and brave ruler. The heir to Philip VI came to power in 1350. John actually grew up and matured in the war. That is why, having occupied the French throne, the new ruler directed all his efforts to victory in the Hundred Years War. John II Good allocated huge sums to restore the army and restore order in the country. It is worth noting that he inherited an unenviable inheritance: most of the state was destroyed in the course of hostilities, large territories were under British control, and the army was completely weakened.
In 1355, England resumed the war against France. The son of Edward III, who was called the Black Prince, invaded enemy territory. In 1356, the French army suffered a crushing defeat at the Battle of Poitiers. During the operation, John II the Good was captured.
In 1360, the king returned to his homeland, leaving the British as a guarantee of his son. However, a few years later, John's successor fled. The king was forced to return to London. Shortly after arriving in England, John II the Good died.
The reign of Charles V the Wise
Charles V the Wise ascended the French throne in 1364. At the beginning of the reign, the young king had to face many difficulties: the army was defeated, the treasury was almost empty, and the lands were ravaged by a long war. In this regard, Charles V began to change the system of government. The essence of his reforms was to decentralize power and introduce a system of long-term taxes. Thanks to innovations in the field of taxation, the power of the French army was restored.
In 1368, hostilities between England and France were resumed. Through contracts and bribes, most of the state’s territories were liberated. In the possession of the British remained only Bayonne and Bordeaux.
Reign of Charles IX
Charles IX is the penultimate ruler of the French state of the Valois dynasty. The son of Catherine de Medici and Henry II. The reign of Charles IX went down in the history of France as an era of religious wars. They represented a protracted conflict between Catholics led by the royal family and the Huguenots (Protestants, followers of Jean Calvin).
The main event that marked the reign of Charles IX was Bartholomew’s Night. It led to the deaths of thousands of Huguenots in several French cities.
Shortly after Bartholomew’s night, in 1574, the king passed away. His brother Henry III ascended the French throne.
Valois is a dynasty that has left a significant mark on French history. That is why, talking about this royal house, we should recall Queen Margot.
The fate of Queen Margot
Margarita Valois entered the history of France as Queen Margot. What is remarkable about the fate of this woman?
Margarita Valois was the youngest daughter of Catherine de Medici and Henry II. The girl’s childhood and youth fell on the difficult period of French history - the era of religious wars. In 1572, young Margarita was married to one of the leaders of the Protestants - Heinrich Bourbon. The magnificent wedding of representatives of rival families ended with the bloodiest event in the history of medieval France - Bartholomew’s night. Margarita managed to save the life of her husband and several Huguenots. Catherine de Medici invited the girl to divorce Henry of Navarre, but she refused. A few years later, the marriage was still dissolved by the pope due to the childlessness of Margarita.