French Royalty. Born in Paris, the son of Charles V and Jeanne de Bourbon, he inherited the throne at age 11 and France fell under the regency of the boy king's uncles the Dukes of Anjou, Berry, Burgundy, and Orléans. His reign was marked by the ongoing Hundred Years' War with the English. In 1385 the king married Isabeau de Bavière. In 1388 Charles, and his bother, Louis of Orléans, removed their uncles from power. In April 1392 Charles fell to a mysterious illness which caused his hair and nails to fall out. Shortly after an apparent recovery, the king was traveling under arms with a troop of guards when Charles drew his sword and killed several of his own men. He was overpowered and disarmed, but became completely unresponsive before he fell into a coma like state. Although Charles improved, he never fully recovered and suffered bouts of madness for the remainder of his life. In 1393, he experienced some relief after an experimental trepanning operation, but suffered a relapse in 1395. Charles' instability became more and more prevalent, his delusions included denying that he was the King or that he had a wife or children, crying that his enemies were upon him, attacking any servants or doctors who attempted to enter his rooms, smashing the furniture and urinating in his clothes, howling like a wolf, refusing to bathe for months, and a stage where he believed that he was made of glass and insisted that iron rods be inserted into his clothing to prevent him from breaking. An attempt at peace with England was orchastrated in 1396 when Charles' daughter, seven-year-old Isabella of Valois, married the 29-year-old Richard II of England. The peace did not last, however, and eventually England's Henry V led an invasion of France which ended with the French defeat at Agincourt in 1415. Charles signed the Treaty of Troyes giving his daughter, Catherine in marriage to Henry V, and they were recognized as heirs to the French throne, setting aside the Dauphin, Charles, whose legitimacy was questionable. Henry V brought Charles VI, who had been living in a state of neglect at Senlis, back to Paris. In the autumn of 1422 Charles fell ill and died at the age of 54. During his reign he was know both as Charles the Well Beloved and as Charles the Mad.
French Royalty. Born in Paris, the son of Charles V and Jeanne de Bourbon, he inherited the throne at age 11 and France fell under the regency of the boy king's uncles the Dukes of Anjou, Berry, Burgundy, and Orléans. His reign was marked by the ongoing Hundred Years' War with the English. In 1385 the king married Isabeau de Bavière. In 1388 Charles, and his bother, Louis of Orléans, removed their uncles from power. In April 1392 Charles fell to a mysterious illness which caused his hair and nails to fall out. Shortly after an apparent recovery, the king was traveling under arms with a troop of guards when Charles drew his sword and killed several of his own men. He was overpowered and disarmed, but became completely unresponsive before he fell into a coma like state. Although Charles improved, he never fully recovered and suffered bouts of madness for the remainder of his life. In 1393, he experienced some relief after an experimental trepanning operation, but suffered a relapse in 1395. Charles' instability became more and more prevalent, his delusions included denying that he was the King or that he had a wife or children, crying that his enemies were upon him, attacking any servants or doctors who attempted to enter his rooms, smashing the furniture and urinating in his clothes, howling like a wolf, refusing to bathe for months, and a stage where he believed that he was made of glass and insisted that iron rods be inserted into his clothing to prevent him from breaking. An attempt at peace with England was orchastrated in 1396 when Charles' daughter, seven-year-old Isabella of Valois, married the 29-year-old Richard II of England. The peace did not last, however, and eventually England's Henry V led an invasion of France which ended with the French defeat at Agincourt in 1415. Charles signed the Treaty of Troyes giving his daughter, Catherine in marriage to Henry V, and they were recognized as heirs to the French throne, setting aside the Dauphin, Charles, whose legitimacy was questionable. Henry V brought Charles VI, who had been living in a state of neglect at Senlis, back to Paris. In the autumn of 1422 Charles fell ill and died at the age of 54. During his reign he was know both as Charles the Well Beloved and as Charles the Mad.
Bio by: Iola
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