Charles VI of France
A French king whose devastating mental illness plunged his kingdom into decades of civil war and paved the way for English domination.
1368–1422 (age 54)·King of France from 1380 to 1422·Birthday: December 3
Biography
Charles VI ascended the throne as a minor, inheriting a wealthy and powerful France. His early reign, guided by regents, showed promise. Then, in 1392, while on campaign, he suffered a sudden and violent psychotic break, attacking his own men. This was the first of many 'absences' that would define his 42-year rule. Believing he was made of glass and could shatter, or failing to recognize his own wife and children, Charles became a symbol of instability. His incapacity triggered a vicious power struggle between the royal dukes of Burgundy and Orléans, which spiraled into outright civil war. This internal chaos invited English invasion, leading to the catastrophic French defeat at Agincourt and the near-dismemberment of the kingdom he was too ill to rule.
#1 When Charles Was Born
The biggest hits of 1368
Charles's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1368Born
1373Started school
1381Became a teenager
1384Could drive
1386Could vote
1389Turned 21
1398Turned 30
1408Turned 40
1418Turned 50
1422Died at 54
Key Achievements
- His reign saw the formal establishment of the French royal court's lavish ceremonial style.
- He was initially nicknamed 'the Beloved' for his early, promising leadership.
- His mental collapse directly triggered the Armagnac–Burgundian Civil War, a defining conflict of the era.
- Signed the Treaty of Troyes in 1420, which disinherited his own son and named Henry V of England his heir.
Did You Know?
He suffered from the 'glass delusion,' a medieval belief that one's body was made of glass and could break.
His wife, Isabeau of Bavaria, was effectively regent during his frequent bouts of illness.
The Bal des Ardents, a masquerade ball meant to cheer him, ended in a fatal fire when his costume caught flame.
“The glass is broken, and the wine is spilled.”
