Louis VI of France

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French Monarchy-
Capetian Dynasty
(direct Capetians branch)

Hugh Capet Children    Robert II Robert II Children    Henry I    Robert I, Duke of Burgundy Henry I Children    Philip I    Hugh, Count of Vermandois Philip I Children    Louis VI Louis VI Children    Louis VII    Robert I of Dreux Louis VII Children    Mary, Countess of Champagne    Alix    Marguerite    Alys, Countess of the Vexin    Philip II    Agnes, Empress of Constantinople Philip II (Philip Augustus) Children    Louis VIII Louis VIII Children    Louis IX    Robert I, Count of Artois    Alphonse, Count of Poitou and Toulouse    Isabel of France    Charles I of Anjou and Sicily Louis IX Children    Philip III    Robert, Count of Clermont    Agnes, Duchess of Burgundy Philip III Children    Philip IV    Charles III, Count of Valois    Louis d'Evreux    Margaret of France Philip IV Children    Louis X    Philip V    Isabella of France    Charles IV Louis X Children    Joan II of Navarre    John I John I Philip V Charles IV

Louis VI the Fat (French: Louis VI le Gros) (December 1, 1081 – August 1, 1137) was King of France from 1108 to 1137. A member of the Capetian Dynasty, Louis was born in Paris, the son of Philip I and his first wife, Bertha of Holland. Almost all of his 29-year reign was spent fighting either the "robber barons" who plagued Paris or the Norman kings of England for their continental possession of Normandy. Nonetheless, Louis VI managed to reinforce his power considerably and endeared himself to the working classes of France. He is one of the first strong kings of France since the division of the Carolingian Empire.

In his youth, Louis fought the duke of Normandy, Robert Curthose, and the lords of the royal demesne, the Île de France. He became close to Suger, who became his adviser. He succeeded his father on his death on July 29, 1108. Louis's half-brother prevented him from reaching Rheims and so he was crowned on August 3 in the cathedral of Orléans. The archbishop of Rheims, Ralph the Green, sent envoys to challenge the validity of the coronation and anointing, but to no avail.

On Palm Sunday 1115, Louis was present in Amiens to support the bishop and inhabitants of the city in their conflict with Enguerrand I of Coucy, one of his vassals, who refused to recognize the granting of a charter of communal privileges. Louis came with an army to help the citizens to besiege Castillon (the fortress dominating the city, from which Enguerrand was making punitive expeditions). At the siege, the king took an arrow to his hauberk, but the castle, considered impregnable, fell after two years.

Louis VI died on August 1, 1137 at the castle of Béthisy-Saint-Pierre, nearby Senlis and Compiègne, of dysentery caused by his excesses, which had made him obese. He was interred in Saint Denis Basilica. He was succeeded on the throne by his son Louis VII, called "the Younger," who had originally wanted to be a monk.

[edit] Marriages and children

He married in 1104: 1) Lucienne de Rochefort — the marriage was annulled.

• Their child:
  • 1) Isabelle (c.1105-before 1175), married (abt.1119) William of Vermandois, seigneur of Chaumont

He married in 1115: 2) Adélaide de Maurienne (c.1100–54)

• Their children:
  • 1) Philip (1116 – October 13, 1131), King of France (1129–31)
  • 2) Louis VII (1120 – November 18, 1180), King of France
  • 3) Henry (1121–75), archbishop of Reims
  • 4) Hugues (c.1122–?)
  • 5) Robert (c.1123 – October 11, 1188), count of Dreux
  • 6) Constance (c.1124 – August 16, 1176), married first Eustace IV, count of Boulogne and then Raymond V of Toulouse.
  • 7) Philip (1125–61), bishop of Paris
  • 8) Peter (c.1126–83), married Elizabeth, lady of Courtenay

[edit] References

• Suger, Abbot of Saint Denis,. The Deeds of Louis the Fat. Translated with introduction and notes by Richard Cusimano and John Moorhead. Washington, DC : Catholic University of America Press,1992. (ISBN 0-8132-0758-4)
• Suger, Abbot of Saint Denis,. The Deeds of Louis the Fat. Translated by Jean Dunbabin (this version is free, but has no annotations)

Preceded by: Philip I

King of France 1108–37

Succeeded by: Louis VII