Charles VI began his reign as the hopeful monarch known as the Beloved, yet his life shifted into a period of profound instability that reshaped the French monarchy. Inheriting the throne at age eleven, he navigated a complex regency before experiencing the onset of recurring mental health crises that ultimately invited political chaos and civil war.
Accession and Regency
Born in 1368 at the Hôtel Saint-Pol in Paris, Charles succeeded his father, Charles V, in 1380. His coronation at Reims Cathedral occurred while he was still a minor, leaving the kingdom under the control of his four uncles: Philip II of Burgundy, Louis I of Anjou, John of Berry, and Louis II of Bourbon. These regents prioritized their personal interests and finances over royal stability, engaging in state capture and imposing unpopular taxes. This period saw the abandonment of the administrative policies established by his predecessor.
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In 1388, at age twenty, the king asserted his independence by dismissing his uncles and reinstating the experienced advisors known as the Marmousets. This restored public confidence, earning him the moniker the Beloved. However, this stability proved fragile. In 1392, while leading a military expedition toward Brittany to confront Pierre de Craon, the king suffered an initial psychotic episode in the forest of Le Mans. Following this, he alternated between periods of lucidity and deep delirium, a condition that included delusions of glass.
Civil War and Decline
The king's incapacity left a power vacuum filled by his wife, Queen Isabeau, and his brother, Louis I, Duke of Orléans. This sparked the Armagnac–Burgundian Civil War in 1407, pitting the interests of the House of Orléans against those of John the Fearless, the successor to the Duchy of Burgundy. The monarchy became a prize fought over by these competing factions. By 1415, the political fragility of France culminated in a decisive military defeat by the English forces at the Battle of Agincourt.
Succession and the Treaty of Troyes
To stabilize the realm under English influence, the Treaty of Troyes was signed, disinheriting his son, the Dauphin, in favor of Henry V of England. The agreement stipulated that Henry V would act as regent and inherit the French throne, further solidified by the marriage of Charles's daughter, Catherine, to the English king. Although Henry V died before Charles, this period forced a conflict between the House of Valois and the House of Lancaster that persisted until the mid-15th century. Charles VI died in 1422 and was buried at the Basilica of Saint-Denis.
Fast facts
- Born: 1368, Paris
- Died: 1422, Paris
- Reign: 1380-1422
- Burial site: Basilica of Saint-Denis
- Monarch category: King of France
- Awards: Golden Rose
Questions readers ask
What caused the king's mental illness?
The precise medical cause remains unknown, though historical analysis has suggested theories ranging from schizophrenia and porphyria to typhus-induced encephalopathy.
Why was the Treaty of Troyes significant?
It legally disinherited the Dauphin, future Charles VII, and named Henry V of England as the heir to the French throne.
Achievements
- King of France (1380–1422)
