Charles, Count of Valois
Charles of Valois (12 March 1270 – 16 December 1325), the fourth son of King Philip III of France and Isabella of Aragon,[1] was a member of the House of Capet and founder of the House of Valois, whose rule over France would start in 1328.
"Charles of Valois" redirects here. For other uses, see Charles de Valois.Charles
1284–1325
1301–1307
Catherine I (as sole ruler)
12 March 1270
16 December 1325
Nogent-le-Roi
House of Capet
House of Valois (founder)
Charles ruled several principalities. He held in appanage the counties of Valois, Alençon (1285), and Perche. Through his marriage to his first wife, Margaret, Countess of Anjou and Maine, he became Count of Anjou and Maine.[2] Through his marriage to his second wife, Catherine I of Courtenay, Empress of Constantinople, he was titular Latin Emperor of Constantinople from 1301 to 1307, although he ruled from exile and only had authority over Crusader States in Greece.
As the grandson of King Louis IX of France, Charles of Valois was a son, brother, brother-in-law and son-in-law of kings or queens (of France, Navarre, England and Naples). His descendants, the House of Valois, would become the royal house of France three years after his death, beginning with his eldest son King Philip VI of France.
Charles was married three times.
His first marriage in Aug 1290, was to Margaret, Countess of Anjou and Maine (1272–1299), daughter of King Charles II of Naples.[6] They had the following children:
In 1302 he married Catherine I of Courtenay (1274–1307), titular Latin Empress of Constantinople.[9] She was the daughter of Philip I, Emperor of Constantinople.[10] They had:
Finally, in 1308, he married Mahaut of Châtillon (1293–1358),[13] daughter of Guy IV of Châtillon, Count of Saint-Pol. They had:
In fiction[edit]
Charles is a major character in Les Rois maudits (The Accursed Kings), a series of French historical novels by Maurice Druon. He was portrayed by Jean Deschamps in the 1972 French miniseries adaptation of the series, and by Jacques Spiesser in the 2005 adaptation.[17][18]