<!–^~^36|right|Hugues Capet^~^–>Towards the end of the first millenium, France consisted of numerous feudal Lordships. The Carolingian dynasty died out in 987 when Hugues Capet was elected to the throne of France by the Lords, starting the Capetian Dynasty. The early Capetian kings had very limited power over the independent Lords. In 1066, William, Duke of Normandy invaded England while the first Crusades started in 1095.
<!–^~^37|left|Eleanor of Aquitaine^~^–>Despite the mariage of Eleanor of Aquitaine to Henry II of England which yielded most of the western part of France to the British Crown, the Capetians continued to centralize the Lordships under their control. Philippe IV (the Fair), even pressured sucessors of Pope Boniface VIII to move the papal court to Avignon in 1309. After the death of the last Capetian king Charles IV, Edward III of England claimed the French Throne and started the Hundred Years War in 1337. Thanks to the courage of a French peasant girl, Joan of Arc, Charles VIII emerged victorious in the war and drove the English back to Calais.
Dateline:
637
Dagobert I, last Mervingian king
732
Charles Martel stops Arab invasion
800
Charlemagne crowned Holy Roman Emperor
910
Foundation of the monastery of Cluny.
987
Hugue Capet start Capetian dynasty
1096
1st Crusade
1066
William of Normandy starts invading England
1120
St Denis Cathedral is rebuilt: birth of Gothic architecture.
11453
English out of France, end of Hundred Years’ War
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