Charles VII of France
A king who inherited a fractured realm and, against all odds, expelled the English and forged a unified France.
1403–1461 (age 58)·King of France from 1422 to 1461·Birthday: February 22
Biography
Charles VII's story is one of improbable redemption. Crowned in 1429 while the English held Paris and much of France, he was a hesitant and politically isolated figure, derisively called the 'King of Bourges.' His fortunes turned with the arrival of Joan of Arc, whose startling victories at Orléans and Reims secured his coronation and restored French morale. Though he later abandoned Joan to her fate, Charles proved a shrewd and effective ruler. He reformed the army, stabilized royal finances, and oversaw a methodical campaign that by 1453 had pushed the English out of all French territory except Calais, effectively ending the Hundred Years' War. His reign transformed a weakened monarchy into a centralized power, laying the groundwork for the French Renaissance.
#1 When Charles Was Born
The biggest hits of 1403
Charles's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1403Born
1408Started school
1416Became a teenager
1419Could drive
1421Could vote
1424Turned 21
1433Turned 30
1443Turned 40
1453Turned 50
1461Died at 58
Key Achievements
- Presided over the French reconquest that effectively ended the Hundred Years' War in 1453.
- Established the first standing royal army in France, reducing dependence on feudal levies.
- Oversaw significant financial and legal reforms through the Pragmatic Sanction of Bourges.
- Was crowned at Reims Cathedral in 1429 following Joan of Arc's liberation of the city.
Did You Know?
He was known as 'Charles the Well-Served' due to his reliance on capable advisors like Jacques Coeur.
For years before his coronation, he was mockingly called the 'King of Bourges,' after the city where his court resided.
His relationship with his son, the future Louis XI, was notoriously hostile and distrustful.
The famous 'Agnès Sorel' was his official mistress, a politically influential position at his court.
“I am not a king of straw, but of France, and I will be crowned at Reims.”
