Hugh Capet

Hugh Capet
12th century portrayal of Hugh Capet
King of the Franks
Reign	3 July 987 – 24 October 996
Coronation	3 July 987, Noyon
Predecessor	Louis V
Successor	Robert II
Junior king	Robert II
Born	941 Paris, France
Died	24 October 996 (aged 55) Paris, France
Burial	Saint Denis Basilica, Paris, France
Spouse	Adelaide of Aquitaine
Issue	Hedwig, Countess of Mons Gisèle, Countess of Ponthieu Robert II, King of the Franks
House	House of Capet
Father	Hugh the Great
Mother	Hedwige of Saxony

Hugh Capet (c. 941 – 24 October 996) was the first King of the Franks of the House of Capet from his election in 987 until his death. He succeeded the last Carolingian king, Louis V.

The son of Hugh the Great, Duke of the Franks, and Hedwige of Saxony, daughter of the German king Henry the Fowler, Hugh was born in 941.

Hugh Capet was born into a well-connected and powerful family with many ties to the royal houses of France and Germany.

Through his mother, Hugh was the nephew to Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor; Henry I, Duke of Bavaria; Bruno the Great, Archbishop of Cologne; and finally, Gerberga of Saxony, Queen of France. Gerberga was the wife of Louis IV, King of France and mother of Lothair of France and Charles, Duke of Lower Lorraine.

His paternal family, the Robertians, were powerful landowners in the Île-de-France. His grandfather had been King Robert I.King Odo was his granduncle and King Rudolph was his uncle by affinity. Hugh's paternal grandmother was a descendant of Charlemagne.

After the end of the ninth century, the descendants of Robert the Strong became indispensable in carrying out royal policies. As Carolingian power failed, the great nobles of West Francia began to assert that the monarchy was elective, not hereditary, and twice chose Robertians (Odo I (888–898) and Robert I (922–923)) as kings, instead of Carolingians.