The includes any of the direct descendents of Robert The Strong . The current king of Spain and the grand duke of Luxembourg are members of this family. The Capet family is the oldest continuously ruling monarchial dynasty in Europe rivaling the better known (in name) Habsburg family.
The distant origins of this family are speculative yet seem to originate in the Rhine Valley , east of modern-day France . Cheribert , a nobleman in Neustria is the earliest recorded ancestor of the family, dating before 636 . Five generations pass between Cheribert and the next descendent of note, Rutpert I , who became a count in the Upper Rhine Valley and in Wormgau . Four more generations pass until Robert the Strong appears as a count in Paris , Anjou , Blois , Tours , Auxerre , and Nevers . From this point onward, a certain peerage can be established.
The Capet dynasty unofficially begins with King Eudes and King Robert I of France (both possible maternal grandsons of Louis The Pious ), both sons of Robert the Strong, who ruled during the Carolingian era. The family became Counts Of Paris under Eudes and Dukes of the Franks under Robert, possessing most of the ancient province of Neustria . Although quarrels continued between Robert's son Hugh The Great and Louis IV , they were mended upon the ascension of Lothair . Lothair granted Hugh the Duchy Of Burgundy and Aquitaine , expanding the Capetian dominions.
Ultimately, Carolingian France fell following the death of Louis V . After the death of Louis, the son of Hugh the Great, Hugh Capet , requested the crown of France from the Archbishop Of Reims and the upper nobility. Since his family had worked so hard for the Carolingian cause and remained loyal, Hugh was crowned King Of France at Noyon , Picardie on July 3 , 987 with the full support from Holy Roman Emperor Otto III .
The name Capet derives from French, meaning 'wearing a cape,' because of Hugh Capet's habit of cape-wearing.
Over the course of the preceding centuries, Capetians spread throughout Europe, ruling every form of provincial unit from Kingdoms to Manor s. Besides being the most numerous royal family in Europe , it also is one of the most Incestual , especially in the Spanish Monarchy . Salic Law , reestablished during the Hundred Years' War from an ancient Salic Frank tradition, caused the French monarchy to permit only direct male descendents of Hugh to succeed to the throne of France. This did not effect monarchies not under that law such as Portugal , Spain , Navarre , and various smaller duchies and counties. Therefore, many royal families appear and disappear in the French succession or become cadet branches upon marriage. A complete list of the senior-most line of Capetians is available Here .
- 3 Latin Emperors ( 1216 - 1217 , 1221 - 1261 )
- --- Pierre ( 1216 - 1217 )
- --- Robert ( 1221 - 1228 )
- --- Baldwin II ( 1228 - 1261 )
- 2 Emperors of Brazil ( 1822 - 1889 )
- --- Pedro I ( 1822 - 1834 )
- --- Pedro II ( 1834 -( 1889 )
- 38 Kings of France ( 888 - 898 , 922 - 923 , 987 - 1792 , 1814 - 1815 , 1815 - 1848 )
- --- Odo ( 888 - 898 )
- --- Robert I ( 922 - 923 )
- --- Hughes ( 987 - 996 )
- --- Robert II ( 996 - 1031 )
- --- Henri I ( 1031 - 1060 )
- --- Philippe I ( 1060 - 1108 )
- --- Louis VI ( 1108 - 1137 )
- --- Louis VII ( 1137 - 1180 )
- --- Philippe II ( 1180 - 1223 )
- --- Louis VIII ( 1223 - 1226 )
- --- Louis IX ( 1226 - 1270 )
- --- Philippe III ( 1271 - 1285 )
- --- Philippe IV ( 1285 - 1314 )
- --- Louis X ( 1314 - 1316 )
- --- Jean I ( 1316 )
- --- Philippe V ( 1316 - 1322 )
- --- Charles IV ( 1322 - 1328 )
- --- Philippe VI ( 1328 - 1350 )
- --- Jean II ( 1350 - 1364 )
- --- Charles V ( 1364 - 1380 )
- --- Charles VI ( 1380 - 1422 )
- --- Charles VII ( 1422 - 1461 )
- --- Louis XI ( 1461 - 1483 )
- --- Charles VIII ( 1483 - 1498 )
- --- Louis XII ( 1498 - 1515 )
- --- François I ( 1515 - 1547 )
- --- Henri II ( 1547 - 1559 )
- --- François II ( 1559 - 1560 )
- --- Charles IX ( 1560 - 1574 )
- --- Henri III ( 1574 - 1589 )
- --- Henri IV ( 1589 - 1610 )
- --- Louis XIII ( 1610 - 1643 )
- --- Louis XIV ( 1643 - 1715 )
- --- Louis XV ( 1715 - 1774 )
- --- Louis XVI ( 1774 - 1792 )
- --- Louis XVIII ( 1814 - 1824 )
- --- Charles X ( 1824 - 1830 )
- --- Louis-Philippe ( 1830 - 1848 )
- 28 Kings and Queens of Portugal ( 1139 - 1580 , 1640 - 1853 )
- --- Afonso I Henriques ( 1112 - 1185 )
- --- Sancho I ( 1185 - 1211 )
- --- Afonso II ( 1211 - 1223 )
- --- Sancho II ( 1223 - 1247 )
- --- Afonso III ( 1247 - 1279 )
- --- Dinis ( 1279 - 1325 )
- --- Afonso IV ( 1325 - 1357 )
- --- Pedro I ( 1357 - 1367 )
- --- Fernando I ( 1367 - 1383 )
- --- João I ( 1385 - 1433 )
- --- Duarte I ( 1433 - 1438 )
- --- Afonso V ( 1438 - 1481 )
- --- João II ( 1481 - 1495 )
- --- Manuel I ( 1495 - 1521 )
- --- João III ( 1521 - 1557 )
- --- Sebastião I ( 1557 - 1578 )
- --- Henrique I ( 1578 - 1580 )
- --- António I ( 1580 - 1580 )
- --- João IV ( 1640 - 1656 )
- --- Afonso VI ( 1656 - 1667 )
- --- Pedro II ( 1667 - 1706 )
- --- João V ( 1706 - 1750 )
- --- José I ( 1750 - 1777 )
- --- Maria I ( 1777 - 1816 )
- --- João VI ( 1816 - 1826 )
- --- Pedro IV ( 1826 - 1826 )
- --- Maria II ( 1826 - 1828 , 1834 - 1853 )
- --- Miguel I ( 1828 - 1834 )
- 11 Kings and Queens of Naples ( 1266 - 1442 , 1700 - 1707 , 1735 - 1806 )
- --- Charles I ( 1266 - 1285 )
- --- Charles II ( 1285 - 1309 )
- --- Robert ( 1309 - 1343 )
- --- Joanna I ( 1343 - 1382 )
- --- Karol III ( 1382 - 1386 )
- --- Ladislas ( 1386 - 1414 )
- --- Joanna II ( 1414 - 1435 )
- --- René I ( 1435 - 1442 )
- --- Felipe ( 1700 - 1707 )
- --- Carlos VII ( 1735 - 1759 )
- --- Fernando IV ( 1759 - 1806 )
- 4 Kings of Sicily ( 1266 - 1282 , 1700 - 1713 , 1735 - 1815 )
- --- Charles I ( 1266 - 1285 )
- --- Felipe ( 1700 - 1713 )
- --- Carlos VII ( 1735 - 1759 )
- --- Fernando III ( 1759 - 1815 )
- 4 Kings of the Two Sicilies ( 1815 - 1860 )
- --- Ferdinando I ( 1815 - 1825 )
- --- Francis I ( 1825 - 1830 )
- --- Ferdinando II ( 1830 - 1859 )
- --- Francis II ( 1859 - 1860 )
- 12 Kings of Navarre ( 1305 - 1441 , 1572 - 1792 )
- --- Louis I ( 1305 - 1316 )
- --- Philippe II ( 1316 - 1322 )
- --- Charles I ( 1322 - 1328 )
- --- Jeanne II ( 1328 - 1349 )
- --- Charles II ( 1349 - 1387 )
- --- Charles III ( 1387 - 1425 )
- --- Blanche Of Navarre ( 1425 - 1441 )
- --- Henry III ( 1572 - 1610 )
- --- Louis II ( 1610 - 1643 )
- --- Louis III ( 1643 - 1715 )
- --- Louis IV ( 1715 - 1774 )
- --- Louis V ( 1774 - 1792 )
- 3 Kings and Queen of Poland ( 1370 - 1399 , 1573 - 1574 )
- --- Louis I Of Hungary ( 1370 - 1382 )
- --- Jadwiga Of Poland ( 1384 - 1399 )
- --- Henry V ( 1573 - 1574 )
- 10 Kings and Queen of Spain ( 1700 - 1808 , 1813 - 1868 , 1874 - 1931 , 1975 -Present)
- --- Felipe V ( 1700 - 1724 , 1724 - 1746 )
- --- Luis I ( 1724 )
- --- Fernando VI ( 1746 - 1759 )
- --- Carlos III ( 1759 - 1788 )
- --- Carlos IV ( 1788 - 1808 , 1808 )
- --- Fernando VII ( 1808 )
- --- Fernando VII ( 1813 - 1833 )
- --- Isabel II ( 1833 - 1868 )
- --- Alfonso XII ( 1874 - 1885 )
- --- Alfonso XIII ( 1886 - 1931 )
- --- Juan Carlos ( 1975 -Present)
- 2 Kings of Etruria ( 1801 - 1807 )
- --- Louis ( 1801 - 1803 )
- --- Charles Louis ( 1803 - 1807 )
- 4 Kings and Queen of Hungary ( 1310 - 1386 )
- --- Károly I ) ( 1310 - 1342 )
- --- Lajos, I ( 1342 - 1382 )
- --- Mária ( 1382 - 1385 , 1386 - 1395 )
- --- Károly II ( 1385 - 1386 )
- 9 Prince and Princesses of Achaea ( 1278 - 1289 , 1313 - 1322 , 1333 - 1381 , 1383 - 1386 )
- --- Charles I ( 1278 - 1285 )
- --- Charles II ( 1285 - 1289 )
- --- Louis ( 1313 - 1316 )
- --- Robert ( 1318 - 1322 )
- --- Robert ( 1333 - 1346 )
- --- Catherine ( 1333 - 1364 )
- --- Philippe ( 1364 - 1373 )
- --- Jeanne I ( 1373 - 1381 )
- --- Charles III ( 1383 - 1386 )
- 2 Grand Dukes of Luxembourg ( 1964 -Present)
- --- Jean ( 1964 - 2000 )
- --- Henri ( 2000 -Present)
- 21 Dukes and Duchess of Burgundy ( 956 - 1361 , 1363 - 1482 )
- --- Odo Of Paris ( 956 - 965 )
- --- Odo-Henri ( 965 – 1002 )
- --- Odo-William ( 1002 – 1026 )
- --- Henri I ( 1026 – 1032 )
- --- Robert I ( 1032 – 1076 )
- --- Hughes I ( 1076 – 1079 )
- --- Odo I ( 1079 – 1103 )
- --- Hughes II ( 1103 – 1143 )
- --- Odo II ( 1143 – 1162 )
- --- Hughes III ( 1162 – 1192 )
- --- Odo III ( 1192 – 1218 )
- --- Hughes IV ( 1218 – 1272 )
- --- Robert II ( 1272 – 1306 )
- --- Hughes V ( 1306 – 1315 )
- --- Odo IV ( 1315 – 1349 )
- --- Philippe I Of Rouvre ( 1349 – 1361 )
- --- Philippe II ( 1363 – 1404 )
- --- Jean ( 1404 – 1419 )
- --- Philippe III ( 1419 – 1467 )
- --- Charles ( 1467 – 1477 )
- --- Marie ( 1477 – 1482 )
- 15 Dukes and Duchess of Brittany ( 1212 - 1345 , 1364 - 1532 )
- --- Pierre I ( 1213 - 1237 )
- --- Jean I ( 1237 - 1286 )
- --- Jean II ( 1286 - 1305 )
- --- Arthur II ( 1305 - 1316 )
- --- Jean III ( 1312 - 1341 )
- --- Jean IV ( 1341 - 1345 )
- --- Jean V ( 1364 - 1399 )
- --- Jean VI ( 1399 - 1442 )
- --- François I ( 1442 - 1450 )
- --- Pierre II ( 1450 - 1457 )
- --- Arthur III ( 1457 - 1458 )
- --- François II ( 1458 - 1488 )
- --- Anna ( 1488 - 1514 )
- --- Claudia ( 1514 - 1524 )
- --- François III ( 1524 - 1532 )
- 6 Dukes and Duchess of Hainaut ( 1253 - 1256 , 1417 - 1482 , 1700 - 1713 )
- 6 Dukes and Duchess of Brabant ( 1405 - 1482 )
- --- Antoine ( 1406 - 1415 )
- --- Jean IV ( 1415 - 1427 )
- --- Philippe I ( 1427 - 1430 )
- --- Philippe II ( 1430 - 1467 )
- --- Charles ( 1467 - 1477 )
- --- Marie ( 1477 - 1482 )
- 6 Dukes and Duchess of Luxembourg ( 1412 - 1415 , 1419 - 1482 , 1700 - 1713 )
- 3 Dukes of Lorraine ( 1431 - 1473 )
- --- René I ( 1431 - 1453 )
- --- Jean II ( 1453 - 1470 )
- --- Nicholas I ( 1470 - 1473 )
- 1 Duchess of Guelders ( 1477 - 1482 )
- 1 Duchess of Limburg ( 1477 - 1482 )
- 1 Duke of Milan ( 1700 - 1713 )
- 7 Dukes and Duchess of Parma ( 1731 - 1735 , 1748 - 1802 , 1814 - 1859 )
- 2 Duchess and Duke of Lucca ( 1817 - 1847 )
- 7 Margraves and Marchionesses of Namur ( 1217 - 1237 , 1429 - 1482 , 1700 - 1713 )
- 9 Counts and Countess of Provence ( 1245 - 1481 )
- 1 Count of Portugal ( 1093 - 1112 )
- --- Henrique ( 1093 - 1112 )
- 8 Counts and Countesses of Burgundy ( Franche Comte ) ( 1329 - 1382 , 1383 - 1482 )
- 6 Counts and Countess of Flanders ( 1383 - 1482 , 1700 - 1713 )
- 3 Counts and Countess of Holland ( 1433 - 1482 )
- 3 Counts and Countess of Zeeland ( 1433 - 1482 )
Many years have passed since the Capetian monarchs ruled all of Europe, however they still remain as kings, as well as other titles. Currently two Capetian monarchs still rule in Spain and Luxembourg. In addition, five pretenders represent exiled dynastic monarchies in Brazil, France, Portugal, and Spain. The current legitimate senior family member is Louis Alfonso , the Duke Of Anjou , who also holds the Legitimist claim to the French throne. Overall, dozens of branches of the Capet family still exist throughout Europe.
- Fawtier, Robert. ''The Capetian Kings of France: Monarchy & Nation (987–1328)''. Macmillan, 1960. (translated from French edition of 1941)
- Le Hête, Thierry. ''Les Capetiens: Le Livre du Millenaire''. Editions Christian, 1987.
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