Kings of France facts

Aachen (modern Germany). The geography of the Kingdom of Franks varied over time, but it was centered on the Rhine and Meuse rivers in northern Europe. Charlemagne himself probably spoke a Rhenish Franconian dialect of Old High German. Eventually, the singular use of the name Francia shifted towards the region of Paris.

King of France. Louis IX (1214 – 1270) is the only canonised king of France, mostly due to his support and participation in the crusades. There are many places named after him, including the city of St. Louis, Missouri, and both the state and city of San Luis Potosí in Mexico.

Charles VI of France. Charles VI, known as "Charles the Mad" ruled France in the midst of the Hundred Years' War. He suffered from periods of mental illness, which had been passed on for several generations through his mother, Joanna of Bourbon. During an episode in 1395–96 he claimed he was Saint George and did not know his wife or children. In 1405, he refused to bathe or change clothes for five months. The entrances of his residence were walled up to keep him inside.