The Robertians, or Robertines, were a prominent Frankish predecessor family centered in the Western Frankish Kingdom, West Francia and fathers of what became the Capetians, holding power through the whole period of the Carolingian Empire and between 888-988 were the last Carolingian Kingdom existing. The family included a large number of forms of Robert including Robert of Hesbaye (b. 770), Robert III of Worms (b. 800), Robert the Strong (b. 820), and Robert I of France (b. 866). They figured prominently amongst Carolingian nobility and married into this royal family. Eventually the Robertians delivered Frankish kings themselves such as Odo, Robert I and Hugh Capet. Those Robertians ruled in the Frankish kingdom Western Francia.
In (systematic application of) Historiography, Hugh Capet is known as the "last Frankish king" and the first king of France. He is the founder of the Capetians, the family that (via the spin-off dynasty, The Bourbon dynasty of Spain and France) ruled France until the founding of the Second French Republic (1848–1852) — save during the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars from 1792 to 1814/1815) and is still ruling Spain and Luxembourg. In contemporary times, both King Juan Carlos of Spain and Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg are members of this family, both through the Bourbon branch of the dynasty.
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The oldest known Robertians probably originated in the county Hesbaye, around Tongeren in modern-day Belgium. The first certain ancestor is Robert the Strong count of Paris, probably son of Robert III of Worms, grandson of Robert of Hesbaye, and nephew of Ermengarde of Hesbaye, daughter of Ingram, wife of Louis the Pious. Other related family includes Cancor, founder of the Lorsch Abbey, his sister Landrada and her son Saint Chrodogang, archbishop of Metz.
The sons of Robert the Strong were Odo and Robert, who were both king of Western Francia and ruled during the Carolingian era. His daughter Richildis married a count of Troyes. The family became Counts of Paris under Odo and "Dukes of the Franks" under Robert, possessing large parts of the ancient Neustria. Although quarrels continued between Robert's son Hugh the Great and Louis IV of France, they were mended upon the ascension of Lothair I of France (954-986). Lothair granted Hugh Duchy of Burgundy and Aquitaine, both rich and influential territories, arguably two of the richest in France expanding the Robertian dominions.
The Carolingian dynasty ceased to rule France upon the death of Louis V (d. 987). After the death of Louis, the son of Hugh the Great, Hugh Capet was chosen as king of the Franks, nominally the last ruler of West Francia. Given the resurgence of the Holy Roman Empire title and dignities in the West Francian kingdom, Europe was later believed to have entered a new age, so became to be known in historiography as the first king of France, as western civilization was perceived to have entered the High Middle Ages period. Hugh was crowned at Noyon on July 3, 987 with the full support from Holy Roman Emperor Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor. With Hugh's coronation, a new era began for France, and his descendants came to be named, after him, the Capetians. They ruled France as the Capetians, Valois, and Bourbons until the French Revolution. They returned after 1815 and ruled until Louis Philippe was deposed in 1848.
However they continue to rule Spain, with two republican interruptions, through the Bourbon Dynasty right down to Juan Carlos of Spain.