Biography of King Charles V of France 1338-1380

On 28th July 1332 [his father] King John "The Good" II of France [aged 13] and [his mother] Bonne Luxemburg Queen Consort France [aged 17] were married. She by marriage Queen Consort of France. She the daughter of [his grandfather] King John I of Bohemia [aged 35] and [his grandmother] Queen Elizabeth of Bohemia. He the son of King Philip "Fortunate" VI of France [aged 38] and Joan "Lame" Burgundy Queen Consort France [aged 39]. They were fourth cousin once removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

On 21st July 1338 King Charles V of France was born to King John "The Good" II of France [aged 19] and Bonne Luxemburg Queen Consort France [aged 23].

On 9th February 1350 [his father] King John "The Good" II of France [aged 30] and [his step-mother] Joan Auvergne Queen Consort France [aged 23] were married in the chapel of Madame Saint James, near Saint-Germain-en-Laye. She by marriage Queen Consort of France. She the daughter of William Auvergne XII Count Auvergne II Count Boulogne and Margaret Évreux Countess Auvergne and Boulogne. He the son of [his grandfather] King Philip "Fortunate" VI of France [aged 56] and [his grandmother] Joan "Lame" Burgundy Queen Consort France. They were half second cousins. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Henry III of England.

On 8th April 1350 King Charles V of France [aged 11] and Joanna Bourbon Queen Consort France [aged 12] were married. She by marriage Queen Consort of France. She the daughter of Peter Bourbon Duke Bourbon [aged 39] and Isabella Valois Duchess Bourbon [aged 37]. He the son of King John "The Good" II of France [aged 30] and Bonne Luxemburg Queen Consort France. They were half first cousin once removed. He a great x 5 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Henry III of England.

On the night of Sunday 22nd and Monday 23rd August 1350 [his grandfather] King Philip "Fortunate" VI of France [aged 56] died. His son [his father] John [aged 31] succeeded II King France: Capet Valois.

On 12th February 1352 [his brother-in-law] Charles "Bad" II King Navarre [aged 19] and [his sister] Joan Valois Queen Consort Navarre [aged 8] were married at Chateau du Vivie, Coutevroult. She by marriage Queen Consort Navarre. She the daughter of [his father] King John "The Good" II of France [aged 32] and [his mother] Bonne Luxemburg Queen Consort France. He the son of Philip "Noble" III King Navarre and Joan Capet II Queen Navarre. They were second cousins. He a great x 3 grandson of King Henry III of England. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

Around July 1353 Peter "Cruel" I King Castile [aged 18] and [his sister-in-law] Blanche Bourbon Queen Consort Castile [aged 14] were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Castile. She the daughter of [his father-in-law] Peter Bourbon Duke Bourbon [aged 42] and [his mother-in-law] Isabella Valois Duchess Bourbon [aged 40]. He the son of Alfonso "Avenger" XI King Castile and Maria Burgundy Queen Consort Castile [aged 40]. They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 5 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Henry III of England.

In 1354 [his future brother-in-law] Robert of Bar 1st Duke of Bar [aged 9] was created 1st Duke Bar. [his sister] Marie Valois Duchess Bar [aged 9] by marriage Duchess Bar.

In 1360 [his brother] Louis Valois Anjou I Duke Anjou [aged 20] and [his sister-in-law] Marie Chatillon Duchess Anjou [aged 15] were married. She by marriage Duchess Anjou. She the daughter of Charles of Blois Duke Brittany [aged 41] and Joan "Lame" Capet Countess Penthièvre [aged 41]. He the son of [his father] King John "The Good" II of France [aged 40] and [his mother] Bonne Luxemburg Queen Consort France. They were second cousins. He a great x 5 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Henry III of England.

In 1360 [his brother] John Valois 1st Duke Berry [aged 19] was created 1st Duke Berry and 1st Duke Auvergne.

In 1360 [his brother] Louis Valois Anjou I Duke Anjou [aged 20] was created I Duke Anjou.

In 1361 [his sister-in-law] Blanche Bourbon Queen Consort Castile [aged 22] died.

Before 1362 [his brother] John Valois 1st Duke Berry [aged 21] and [his sister-in-law] Joanne Armagnac Duchess Berry [aged 15] were married. She by marriage Duchess Berry. She the daughter of John I Count Armagnac [aged 50] and Beatrice Clermont Countess Armagnac [aged 51]. He the son of [his father] King John "The Good" II of France [aged 42] and [his mother] Bonne Luxemburg Queen Consort France. They were third cousins. He a great x 5 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

In 1363 [his brother] Philip "Bold" Valois II Duke Burgundy [aged 20] succeeded II Duke Burgundy.

In 1364 [his brother-in-law] Robert of Bar 1st Duke of Bar [aged 19] and [his sister] Marie Valois Duchess Bar [aged 19] were married. She by marriage Countess Bar. She the daughter of [his father] King John "The Good" II of France [aged 44] and [his mother] Bonne Luxemburg Queen Consort France. He the son of Henry of Bar IV Count of Bar and Yolande Dampierre Countess of Bar [aged 33]. They were second cousins. He a great x 2 grandson of King Edward I of England. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

Life of Charles VI by a Monk of St Denis. Relying on this hope, and taking my beginning from his illustrious lineage^{ENDNOTE1ENDNOTE}, he, springing as a shoot from a sweet-fruit-bearing tree from the noble lady Joanna, daughter of the illustrious duke of Bourbon, while not yet twelve years old already gave forth the fragrant flowers of the highest nobility of character, seeming to foreshadow the industry of his father, and by hereditary right succeeded to him, while the affairs of the kingdom, in peace and in war, were then proceeding fairly prosperously. Yet lest the wealthy people remain in the beauty of peace and the repose of temporal prosperity, the long-standing hatred of the English stood in the way, conceived, as it is believed, from the loss of their possessions. Since they knew these to be irrecoverable, anger stirring their fury, they aspired to the destruction of the kingdom. For often scorning the treaties of peace, bursting forth from their maritime home at the farthest corner of the world, they now harassed Aquitaine, now the Gallic coasts; they broke into the suburbs and, after taking peasants captive and driving off flocks and herds, burned with fires set upon them the crops, some already gathered on the threshing floors, others collected in sheaves across the fields, or still standing in the soil. The illustrious dukes of Anjou, Berry, Burgundy^{ENDNOTE2ENDNOTE}, and Bourbon^{ENDNOTE3ENDNOTE} had undertaken with their forces to repel such dreadful raids, before their brother King Charles at last took to the bed of illness. But when they received the sad news that, suffering at the end and with little hope, he was drawing his last breath, they were recalled as it were from greater concerns and, with the change of circumstances altering their plan, they left Aquitaine and returned to Paris. As they surpassed all the dukes of the house of France in authority, industry, and eloquence, so they took particular care that vigilant attention should be given, as was fitting, to the royal son who had reached the years of youth, and that the public affairs of the kingdom should be governed with diligent guidance.

Qua spe fretus, a preclara ejus stirpe sumens exordium, is ex illustris ducis Borboniensis filia domina Johanna, velut ex arboredulciflua surculus egrediens, et qui, nondum duodenis, morales summe ingenuitatis flores odoriferos emittens, patris industriam videbatur portendere, eidem jure hereditario successit, regni rebus pace belloque gestis tunc satis prospere succedentibus. Ne tamen in pulchritudine pacis et requie temporalium opulenta plebs maneret Anglicorum inveteratum obstabat odium, ex amissis prediis conceptum, ut creditur; que cum irrecuperabilia scirent, indignacione administrante furorem, ad dissipacionem regni aspirabant. Pacis namque federa sepius aspernati, de sinu suo marino, orbis extremo angulo, erumpentes, et nunc Ácquitaniam infestantes, nunc Gallicana littora, effringebant suburbia, et captivatis colonis, abductis quoque gregibus et armentis, fruges partim in areis jam congestas, partim per agros manipulatim collectas, vel solo adhuc herentes, superpositis ignibus, incendebant. Tam diras discursiones illustres Andegavie, Biturie, Burgundie et Borboniensis duces viribus arcendas susceperant, priusquam frater eorum rex Karolus novissime lecto egritudinis decubaret; qui tamen, accepto tristi nuncio, quod in extremis laborans in exigua spe trahebat animam, velut a majoribus curis revocati, et cum vicissitudine rerum mutantes propositum, relicta Acquitania, Parisius redierunt. Sicut de domo Francie, auctoritate, industria et facundia cunctis ducibus precellebant, sic eis studiosior cura fuit ut regio filio inter annos puberes constituto vigilem curam, quantum conveniebat, impenderent, atque regni negocia publica industrie moderamine regerentur.

Note 1. King Charles VI was born in Paris on 3rd December 1368 to King Charles V of France and and [his wife] Joanna Bourbon Queen Consort France.

Note 2. Louis II, Duke of Bourbon, was born on 4 August 1337, from the marriage of Peter, Duke of Bourbon, who was killed at the Battle of Poitiers, and Isabella, sister of Philip of Valois. He was the maternal uncle of Charles VI. His sisters were Jeanne of Bourbon, Queen of France; Blanche of Bourbon, Queen of Castile; Bonne of Bourbon, Countess of Savoy; Catherine of Bourbon, Countess of Harcourt; Marguerite, Lady of Albret; Isabelle of Bourbon, unmarried; and Marie of Bourbon, called de Clermont, a nun of Poissy.

Louis II, duc de Bourbon, né le 4 août 1337, du mariage de Pierre, duc de Bourbon, tué à la bataille de Poitiers, et d’Isabelle sœur de Philippe de Valois; oncle maternel de Charles VI. Il eut pour sœurs Jeanne de Bourbon, reine de France; Blanche de Bourbon, reine de Castille; Bonne de Bourbon, comtesse de Savoie ; Catherine de Bourbon, comtesse de Harcourt; Marguerite, dame d’Albret; Isabelle de Bourbon , non mariée; Marie de Bourbon, dite de Clermont, religieuse de Poissy.

Note 3. King Charles V had, by an ordinance of 1374, designated a council of guardianship composed of the archbishops of Reims and Sens; the bishops of Laon, Paris, Auxerre, and Amiens; the abbots of Saint-Denis and Saint-Maixent; the chamberlain of France; the constable, the butler, the pantler, the two marshals, the grand master of the household, keeper of the Oriflamme; Pierre d’Aumont and Philippe de Savoisy, chamberlains; the Count of Brienne, the Lord of Coucy, the Lord of Clisson, Arnaud de Corbie and Étienne de la Grange, presidents in the Parlement; Nicolas Dubois and Évrard Tramagon, counsellors; Philibert l’Espinasse, Thomas Boudenay, and Jean de Rye, knights; Nicolas Braque, Jean Pastourel, Jean Bernier, Bertrand Duclos, Philippe d’Augier, and Pierre Duchâtel, masters of accounts; the dean of Besançon; Jean le Mercier, general of the aides; Jean d’Ay, advocate; and six bourgeois of Paris, chosen by the princes. It was not this council that was assembled and to which recourse was had to decide the quarrels of the princes. (Le Laboureur, Introduction to the History of Charles VI.)

Le roi Charles V avait, par une ordonnance de 1374, désigné un conseil de tutelle formé des archevêques de Reims et de Sens; des évêques de Laon, de Paris, d'Auxerre et d'Amiens; des abbés de Saint-Denys et de Saint Maixent; du chambellan de France; du connétable, du bouteiller, du panetier, des deux maréchaux, du grand-maître de la maison, garde de l’orilamme; de Pierre d’Aumont et Philippe de Savoisy, chambellans; du comte de Brienne, du sire de Coucy, du sire de Clisson, d’Arnaud de Corbie et Étienne de la Grange , présidents au Parlement; de Nicolas Dubois et Evrard Tramagon , conseillers; de Philibert l’Espinasse, Thomas Boudenay et Jean de Rye, chevaliers; de Nicolas Braque, Jean Pastourel, ‘ Jean Bernier, Bertrand Duclos, Philippe d’Augier et Pierre Duchâtel, maîtres des comptes ; du doyen de Besancon, de Jean le Mercier, général des aides; de Jean d’Ay, avocat , et de six bourgeois de Paris, au choix des princes. Ce ne fut point ce conseil qu’on rassembla et auquel on eut recours pour décider les querelles des princes. ( Le Laboureur, Introd, à l'Hist. de Charles VI.)

On 3rd December 1368 [his son] Charles "Beloved Mad" VI King France was born to King Charles V of France [aged 30] and [his wife] Joanna Bourbon Queen Consort France [aged 30]. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry III of England. Coefficient of inbreeding 3.60%. He married 17th July 1385 his third cousin once removed Isabeau Wittelsbach Queen Consort France, daughter of Stephen "Magnificient Fop" Wittelsbach III Duke Bavaria and Taddea Visconti Duchess Bavaria, and had issue.

On 19th June 1369 [his brother] Philip "Bold" Valois II Duke Burgundy [aged 27] and [his sister-in-law] Margaret Dampierre Duchess Burgundy [aged 21] were married. She by marriage Duchess Burgundy. She the daughter of Louis of Male III Count Nevers II Count Flanders [aged 38] and Margaret of Brabant Countess Nevers and Flanders [aged 46]. He the son of [his father] King John "The Good" II of France and [his mother] Bonne Luxemburg Queen Consort France. They were half third cousins. He a great x 5 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Edward I of England.

On 19th August 1371 [his brother-in-law] Louis Bourbon II Duke Bourbon [aged 34] and Anne Auvergne Duchess Bourbon [aged 13] were married. She by marriage Duchess Bourbon. The difference in their ages was 20 years. He the son of [his father-in-law] Peter Bourbon Duke Bourbon and [his mother-in-law] Isabella Valois Duchess Bourbon [aged 58].

On 13th March 1372 [his son] Louis Valois I Duke Orléans was born to King Charles V of France [aged 33] and [his wife] Joanna Bourbon Queen Consort France [aged 34]. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry III of England. Coefficient of inbreeding 3.60%. He married (1) 1374 his third cousin once removed Catherine Hungary (2) 1389 his first cousin Valentina Visconti Duchess of Orleans, daughter of Gian Galeazzo Visconti 1st Duke Milan and Isabelle Valois, and had issue.

On 3rd November 1373 [his sister] Joan Valois Queen Consort Navarre [aged 30] died at Évreux.

In 1374 Louis Valois I Duke Orléans [aged 1] and Catherine Hungary [aged 4] were married. She the daughter of Louis I King Hungary King Poland [aged 47] and Elizabeth Bosnia Queen Consort Hungary. He the son of King Charles V of France [aged 35] and Joanna Bourbon Queen Consort France [aged 35]. They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry III of England.

On 6th February 1378 [his wife] Joanna Bourbon Queen Consort France [aged 40] died.

On 16th September 1380 King Charles V of France [aged 42] died. His son Charles [aged 11] succeeded VI King France: Capet Valois.

In 1381 [his niece] Joanna of Navarre Queen Consort England [aged 11] was held hostage with her two brothers [his nephew] Charles III King Navarre [aged 20] and Peter Évreux Count Mortain by King Charles V of France to ensure their father's [aged 48] good behaviour. They were held under the guardianship of their maternal uncles John Valois 1st Duke Berry [aged 40] and Philip "Bold" Valois II Duke Burgundy [aged 38].

[his daughter] Catherine Valois was born to King Charles V of France and Joanna Bourbon Queen Consort France. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry III of England. Coefficient of inbreeding 3.60%. She married 1386 her first cousin John Valois, son of John Valois 1st Duke Berry and Joanne Armagnac Duchess Berry.