Charles IV of France

Charles IV the Fair (French: Charles IV le Bel) (1294 – February 1, 1328), a member of the Capetian Dynasty, reigned as King of France from 1322 to 1328.

He was the third son of Philippe IV. By virtue of his mother, Jeanne I of Navarre's, birthright, Charles claimed the title Charles I, king of Navarre.

He was crowned King of France in 1322 at the cathedral in Reims. In 1327 Charles helped his sister Isabelle against her husband, King Edward II of England, having him imprisoned and ultimately executed. During his six-year reign Charles IV offended everyone in his kingdom by increasing taxes, imposing onerous duties, and confiscating estates from those he disliked.

Charles IV died at Vincennes, Val-de-Marne, and is interred with his third wife, Jeanne d'Evreux in Saint Denis Basilica. He died without a male heir, thus ending the direct line of the Capetian dynasty. Twelve years earlier, the Salic Law had been recognized to control the succession in the French throne, thus barring Charles's own 1-year-old daughter Mary from succeeding as the monarch. When dying, his wife was pregnant. Since it could have been possible that she would give birth to a son, a regency was set up, the heir presumptive Philip of Valois being the regent. After two months, the widow gave birth to yet another daughter, who according to the Salic Law was not eligible to succeed in the throne of France (similarly as her elder sister). The regent thus became the King and in May was consecrated and crowned. At this time, the Salic Law was further re-interpreted to forbid not only inheritance by a woman, but also inheritance through a female line (thus barring the male Edward III of England from the French throne). In this way, after a brief hiatus of regency, Charles's first cousin Philippe VI of France, a member of the Valois branch of Capetians, succeeded Charles IV on the throne.

Marriages

• 1308 — Blanche de Bourgogne. The marriage was dissolved in 1322.

• 1322 — Marie de Luxembourg (2)

• July 5, 1325 --Jeanne d'Evreux (1310 – 1371) (3)

Issue

• (1) Jeanne (1315 – 1321)
• (3) Blanche (April 1, 1328 – February 8, 1345)
• (3) Jeanne (1326 – 1327)
• (3) Marie (1327 – 1341)