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For the Direct Capetians, who ruled France 987–1328, see the House of Capet. The Capetian dynasty (French: La dynastie capétienne) includes any of the direct descendants of Hugh Capet of France. The current king of Spain and the grand duke of Luxembourg are members of this family. The Capetian dynasty is the oldest continuously ruling monarchial dynasty in Europe, rivaling the better known (in name) Habsburg family.
The name of the dynasty derives from its founder, Hugh, who was known as "Hugh Capet" (Hugues Capet). The meaning of "Capet" (a nickname rather than a surname of the modern sort) is unknown; whilst folk etymology identifies it with "cape", other suggestions suggest it to be connected to the Latin word caput ("Head"), and thus explain it as meaning "chief" or "big head".
The name "Capetian" came to be applied to both the ruling house of France, and to the wider-spread male-line descendants of Hugh Capet, by historians - it was not a contemporary practice. The name "Capet" has also been used as a surname for French royals, particularly but not exclusively those of the House of Capet – one notable use was during the French Revolution, when the dethroned King Louis XVI (a member of the House of Bourbon, though a direct male-line descendant of Hugh Capet) and Queen Marie Antoinette (a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine) were referred to as "Louis and Antoinette Capet" (the Queen being addressed as "the Widow Capet" after the death of her husband).
The distant origins of the dynasty are speculative; it is believed that it originated in the Rhine Valley, east of modern-day France. Cheribert, a nobleman in Neustria is the earliest recorded ancestor of the family, dating before 636. Five generations pass between Cheribert and the next descendant of note, Rutpert I, who became a count in the Upper Rhine Valley and in Wormgau. Four more generations pass until Robert the Strong appears as a count in Paris, Anjou, Blois, Tours, Auxerre, and Nevers. From Robert is derived the dynastic surname given to the family prior to Hugh Capet's election as King of France - the Robertians.
The sons of Robert the Strong were King Eudes and King Robert I of West Francia (i.e. France) (both possible maternal grandsons of Louis the Pious), who ruled during the Carolingian era. The family became Counts of Paris under Eudes and Dukes of the Franks under Robert, possessing most of the ancient province of Neustria. Although quarrels continued between Robert's son Hugh the Great and Louis IV, they were mended upon the ascension of Lothair. Lothair granted Hugh the Duchy of Burgundy and Aquitaine, expanding the Robertian dominions.
The Carolingian dynasty ceased to rule France upon the death of Louis V. After the death of Louis, the son of Hugh the Great, Hugh Capet, requested the crown of France from the Archbishop of Reims and the upper nobility. Since his family had worked so hard for the Carolingian cause and remained loyal, Hugh was crowned King of France at Noyon, Picardie on July 3, 987 with the full support from Holy Roman Emperor Otto III. With Hugh's coronation, a new era began for France, and his descendants came to be named, after him, the Capetians.
Over the course of the preceding centuries, Capetians spread throughout Europe, ruling every form of provincial unit from kingdoms to manors. Besides being the most numerous royal family in Europe, it also is one of the most incestual, especially in the Spanish Monarchy.
Salic Law, reestablished during the Hundred Years' War from an ancient Salic Frank tradition, caused the French monarchy to permit only direct male descendants of Hugh to succeed to the throne of France.
That is how the French crown passed from direct elder line of the House of Capet to the House of Valois, a cadet branch of the Capetian dynasty,
This did not affect monarchies not under that law such as Portugal, Spain, Navarre, and various smaller duchies and counties. Therefore, many royal families appear and disappear in the French succession or become cadet branches upon marriage. A complete list of the senior-most line of Capetians is available here.
The Capetian Dynasty has been broken many times into (sometimes rival) cadet branches. A cadet branch is a line of descent from another line than the senior-most. This list of cadet branches shows most of the Capetian cadet lines, although some sub-branches are not shown:
In addition to the major legitimate lines of the Capet family, numerous illegitimate branches of the family have arisen and taken an important role in the family history. The following are the most important illegitimate lines of the family:
Throughout most of history, the Senior Capet and the King of France were synonymous terms. Only in the time before Hugh Capet took the crown for himself and after the reign of Charles X is the term necessary to identify with. However, since the Salic Law provided for the succession of the French throne for most of French history, here is a list of all the predecessors of the French monarchy, all the French kings from Hugh until Charles, and all the Legitimist pretenders thereafter. All dates are for seniority, not reign. It is important to note that historians class the predecessors of Hugh Capet as Robertians, not Capetians.
Noblemen in Neustria and their descendants (dates uncertain):
Count in the Upper Rhine Valley and Wormgau:
Count of Paris:
Count of Marnes:
Count of Chambord:
Count of Montizón:
Duke of Madrid:
Duke of San Jaime:
Duke of Anjou and Cádiz:
Duke of Anjou:
Many years have passed since the Capetian monarchs ruled all of Europe, however they still remain as kings, as well as other titles. Currently two Capetian monarchs still rule in Spain and Luxembourg. In addition, six pretenders represent exiled dynastic monarchies in Brazil, France, Spain, Parma and Two Sicilies. The current legitimate senior family member is Louis Alfonso, the Duke of Anjou, who also holds the Legitimist claim to the French throne. Overall, dozens of branches of the Capetian dynasty still exist throughout Europe.
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