Charles VII of France

King of France

Joanna of Boulogne

(m. 1161 d. 1197)

Margaret of Burgundy

(His death)

Isabella of France

Charles II, Duke of Valois

Robert I, Duke of Brabant

Phillipa, Countess of Zeeland

Henry I, Duke of Bourbon

Marie of France

Illegitimate:

Louis de Sainte-Capet

Henri de Brissaca-Sainte-Capet

Marie de Brissaaca-Sainte-Capet

Yolande

Joan de Lyoness-Sainte-Capet

Phillip

Robert

John

**Charles VII of France** known as the **Strict** (C. 1143 - 1201) was the eldest child of Louis VIII of France and his first wife Joan I of Navarre. Charles from birth was a truamatized child from tutors and a strict father, he quickly became a womanizer to get rid of his pain. Charles was close to his mother but resented her when he refused to make Charles heir apparent to her kingdom in Navarre, and instead gave it to Charles's younger brother Phillip. When Charles was 16, he married Agnes of Merania which the short marriage was a disaster. Agnes hated Charles's womanizing and his mistress Josaphine de Brisacca, who was Charles's favorite mistress, Agnes died under mysterious circimstances, most likely poisoned by Charles's mistress under Charles's request. Charles hoped that by poisoning Agnes, that he could marry Josaphine, but his father refused to let him marry a mere noblewoman, and instead married him to Joanna of Boulogne, Charles certainly did not hate his new wife and after the murder of his mistress, he fell inlove with his Queen they had 5 children, Phillip of France, Joan, Isabella, Charles, and Robert. Charles at first did not like his children, but he learned to love them later one, Charles became King of France after the death of his father at age 42. He moved to the French royal Palace with his Queen and children, through Charles's marriage with Joanna, he did not take a mistress. Joanna of Boulogne was a popular Queen, but his Queen died of hay fever, Joanna on her death told her husband to take care of there children and remarry Margaret of Burgundy who was Joanna's best friend. Charles with tears in his eyes agreed and set for Burgundy, Margaret who did not expect Charles but she was shocked when he proposed to her, Margaret was crowned Queen in the late months of 1197. He had 3 children with Margaret, Phillipa, Henry, and Marie, but Margaret was later accused of adultery with Charles's younger brother Phillip I of Navarre, Charles imprisoned Margaret and planned to murder her, but he died in 1201 of sweating sickness, he divided his inheritances up, and his wife died 2 months after his after poor treatment while imprisoned.

## Early Life

### Childhood

Charles of France was born in Paris in 1143, as the eldest child of Louis VIII of France and his first wife Joan I of Navarre. Charles's father was 16 when Charles was born, and Queen Joan was 17 years old. Charles was named heir to the throne from birth. Charles's grand-mother Eleanor of Aquitaine oversaw the birth and was present at Charles's baptizism. Charles had a strict and mean father who lacked empathy for Charles, and often mocked him when he failed to do something. Charles also had mean tutors he shared with his younger brothers, the tutors would beat Charles up for stuttering and his father sometimes joined the tutors, Charles started womanizing at 12, his first mistress was Marie de Nevers-Dunois who was 15 but still very attractive. Charles would often go in Marie's chambers when he felt sad. But his father did not wan't his son to be a "Stupid Womanizer" and strangled Marie and hung her body over Charles's bed. Charles grew to hate his father, and spend his time with woman in Flanders, Belgium which was a property of the French crown.

### Education

Charles was considered a smart boy, he knew English, Dutch, Flemish, German, and Greek along with Dance, music, history, reading, writing, war, and archery. He would sometimes take extra classes with other teachers in horse-back-writing and hunting, usually he would go outside where the common people lived and played in the open fields which was unusual for mideval princes, woman would usually sit around to watch the Prince joust with his friends. And Charles also talked to commoners, often he would take a break from jousting and talk to commoner woman who fell-in-love with him, he would at times take a few woman home if he liked them enough, he once got a common woman pregnant named Anne Toussaint who bore him a son Louis whom Charles raised with Anne which was considered strange, but no one questioned the prince.

### Crusade

Charles was thurly interested in war, and in 1157 he attended a crusade with his father and brother Phillip of France, Charles hated his brother for being his father's favorite and called him "Lord Frog-face" as Charles thought Phillip looked like a frog, during the crusade, Charles attempted to shoot an arrow at Phillip, but Phillip moved from the arrow at the last second and the arrow hit a local goat in the area. Charles came back unscared with his brother and father which gave him the appearence of a strong person.

### First Marriage

Sense Charles was 14, he was betrothed to the 13 year old Agnes of Merania, the 4th child of the Duke of Merania and his first wife. When Charles turned 16, he married his 15 year year old fiancee in Paris, Charles hated his new wife who he did not find attractive. Agnes desprately wanted Louis's attention and affection, but Louis much preferred to be with other woman, he sometimes even called Agnes names of his past mistress to annoy her. Soon Charles agreed to for once hang out with his wife and her court a few days after his 17th birthday. Charles met one of his wife's ladies-in-waiting named "Josaphine de Brissaca." Who was a described as a beauty of the court, Charles took Josaphine as a mistress and the 2 shared many love affairs which infuriated Agnes and Charles's parents, Agnes kicked Josaphine out of her court, but Charles invited Josaphine to join his, Josaphine gave birth to Charles's child Henri de Brissaca-Siante-Capet and Charles acknowledged him which further infuriated his parents. Charles then asked Josaphine if she would like to poison Agnes for kicking her out of her court, when Josaphine agreed Charles joined her and put poison in her tea, Agnes was found dead on the floor and Charles was free to remarry, his father had married Charles's younger brother to Blanche of Artois, he would have to go through strugle again to find a wife for Charles.

### Second Marriage

Charles desprately wanted to marry Josaphine de Brissaca and make his son Henri heir to the throne, but his father did not wan't to cause scandal in the French royal family, so instead Louis forced Charles to marry Joanna of Boulogne, Charles did not hate Joanna as much as he hated his first wife and agreed to marry her, much to the frusteration of Josaphine who constantly fought with Joanna. Charles and Joanna at first did not share much in common, other then there love for archery and hunting which they did together, Josaphine grew jealous that she was not getting enough attention and offered Charles to come into her room without permission, which he did and Josaphine bore him a child named Marie whom he helped raised. Joanna deeply jealous scolded Charles for not doing his marital duties and not getting her pregnant, Charles felt guilty for hurting his wife's feelings and got her pregnant with a son Phillip of France, whom Charles did not name, Charles's father Louis named in honor of Charles's brother which infuriated Charles. Charles did not like his son at first because of his name, but as Phillip grew older Charles began to like him, and he raised him with his other illegitimate children. During a crusade, Joanna and Louis VIII of France came up with a plot to kill Josaphine de Brissaca, Louis stabbed Josaphine and she was found dead by the distraught but the armymen blamed it on the Ottomans and Charles finally actually wen't on crusade during this crusade. Charles became devoted to his wife after Josaphine's death and the 2 fell-in-love, Charles and Joanna moved to Brabant to have a more private life. Joanna gave birth to a daughter Joan of France that year.

### Mother's death

A few months before the birth of Charles's third child Isabella of France, Charles's mother Queen Joan fell ill, doctors admitted they could not save Joan's life, Charles was sad but curious about the will, Queen Joan did not wan't Navarre to be absorbed by France, so she made Charles's younger brother the King of Navarre which infuriated Charles who waited long to become King of Navarre, and was not present on his mother's death-bed which was a decision he later regretted, Charles's father remarried the haughty Ingeborg of Denmark who was 16, and Charles was 32. Charles felt his father traded him in for a "Doxy Teenager!" Joanna while pregnant with Isabella of France was also insulted by Ingeborg's haughtiness, Ingeborg did not hide the fact she wanted to kill Charles and Joanna, in concern, Charles and Joanna briefly moved to the Holy Roman Empire where Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor welcomed them, before moving back to Brabant, and then moving back to court, not long after Joanna gave birth to another son. Queen Ingeborg also soon gave birth to a daughter Phillipa. Ingeborg kicked Charles out of court once again and the 2 moved to Valois to stay away from the Queen. Joanna soon gave birth to her last child Robert of France.

### Return to Court

After the birth of Queen Ingeborg's last child, Ingeborg allowed the 2 to return to court under one condition, they would have to recognize her as Queen of France and stop revolting against her. Charles reluctantly agreed along with his wife, as them and there children moved back to Paris. Charles often got into agruments with his father over problems they could not solve, and Charles would often beat his father up for not agreeing with him. Charles though pleased his father by not taking a mistress, but Charles did not wan't to as he was madly-in-love with Joanna.

## King of France

Louis soon fell ill in 1185, Charles did not bother to meet him on his death-bed and instead wen't jousting, when he was walking with his wife and children a lord of Louis's council bowed down to the couple and told Charles he was, Charles celebrated with his family, he was crowned alongside his wife in 1185, and there children were named prince and princesses. Ingeborg of Denmark moved to Antioch with her son the secure his son's succession in Antioch. Charles gave his wife a giant court in the French royal palace. He married his young daughter Joan to the Latin Emperor of Nicaea, and his other daughter to Charles's niece Theobald of Navarre as a peace treaty between France and Navarre. Joanna acted as regent while Charles wen't to war in the middle east where came home tired.

### Feud with John I of England

Charles wanted the English owned Duchy of Aquitaine to be apart of France, Charles believed he was entitled to it because his father Louis who was the son of the Duchess of Aquitaine was suppose to inherit Aquitaine, but Aquitaine instead passed to the English royal family and then in the hands of John I of England who was the Duke of Aquitaine. Charles's ally the Holy Roman Emperor advised Charles not to go to war with England to avoid losing sense England was the most powerful country at the time. Charles changed his mind about war, but instead supported John's enemy the Earl of Lancaster and Glouester, to invade England and split Aquitaine between England and France. John and Charles eventually made peace after the Earl surrendered and John knighted Charles as a Grand-Master of the Garter.

### 12th Crusade

Charles soon wen't on crusade while his wife governed the Kingdom of France and acted as regent, Charles wen't with his 24 year old son Phillip of France. Charles was in his late 50's but still strong and fast, he wen't with Phillip to Jerusalem were Charles's cousin was King. Phillip was a strong military general and even the Sultan was scared of him, Charles suffered a seizure in Acre, Jerusalem, and Charles was sent home to France to lay down, he recovered after 5 months in bed. But he took a break from war and became a family man to his younger children and wife.

## Joanna's death

Joanna soon contracted Hay fever after having an allergic reaction, Charles was devastated and doctors told Charles there was no hope, on Joanna's death bed, she was surrounded by her children, she told her husband to take care of the children, and remarry her best friend Margaret of Burgundy, then she died and was buried in St. Denis Basilica, Charles was so devastated he spent a week crying in a room alone before being dragged out by Phillip of France. Charles made his way to Burgundy to propose to the woman Joanna told him to marry upon her death.

## Second Marriage

Charles was shocked to see Charles asking for her hand in marriage, but she agreed to marry him, and she was crowned Queen of France the day after. Charles soon knew he disliked his rude Queen, and took a mistress which he had not taken in years. His mistress was Anne de Lyoness-Riems whom looked like Charles's past mistress Josaphine de Brissaca. Margaret was pregnant with Phillipa of France and was indeed furious, so she took a lover herself, she had a private affair with François de Boucher who was a French knight. Margaret took a break from her lover and got pregnant with Henry of France. But Charles's best friend the Duke of Luxembourg, found out about the affair when he snuck on them and caught the embracing. Charles arrested Margaret and her lover without a trial and burned her lover alive publically. Margaret was sent to a convent while pregnant with Marie of France. Charles then stopped having mistresses and dedicated his life to remebering his past with Joanna, and taking care of his children.

## Death

Charles soon suffered mass chills on his body and doctors were sure he had sweating sickness, the doctors first thought they could fix Charles's condition with milk mixed with tea. But Charles fell more ill the following weeks, on his deathbed he asked for a bust out of his late-wife Joanna whom he dearly loved, Charles died on the spot with the last words of, "Can I-." He divided his inheritances in his will, his will stated his eldest should inherit France, Flanders, Hallwin, Hallwin, Alençon, Piney, Úzes, Paris, Maurienne, Soissons, and Berry and the second son should inherit Valois, the third one should inherit Brabant and the youngest should take Bourbon. The daughters each got a sum of 7,000 euros. Charles was buried in his own chapel in St. Denis Basilica, he was nicknamed the strict for his upbringing and personality, his wife Margaret was possibly poisoned at the convent after poor treatment or possibly died of hay fever.