After the death of King Louis X, his queen gave birth to a baby boy. For a short time, the child was considered king. However, the infant died only a few days later. This created a new crisis about who should rule France.
At this point, Philip the Long, the brother of Louis X, wanted to become king. However, not everyone agreed immediately. The Duke of Burgundy, who was the uncle of Joan (the daughter of Louis X), protested against Philip being crowned king. He argued that his niece’s claim should be carefully examined first Ephesus Guided Tours.
This was somewhat surprising because the Duke of Burgundy had earlier agreed with the council’s decision that women could not inherit the crown. Despite his protest, Philip the Long moved forward to secure his position.
The Great Assembly of 1317
To settle the matter once and for all, Philip the Long called a large assembly. This meeting included the most powerful nobles in France, as well as bishops and members of the University of Paris. It took place on February 2, 1317.
At this important gathering, a clear decision was made. It was agreed by everyone present that the laws and customs of France did not allow women to inherit the crown. This rule became firmly established and widely accepted.
Even those who had earlier objected, including the Duke of Burgundy and the Count de la Marche (who later became King Charles IV), agreed with this final decision. This helped remove doubts and brought stability to the kingdom Problems with Edward’s Argument.
The Reign of Philip V and Charles IV
Philip the Long ruled as king but, like his brother before him, he did not have a son. When he died, his younger brother, Charles IV (also called Charles the Fair), became king without any opposition.
Charles IV also faced the same problem. When he died, he left only a daughter, and his wife was pregnant. Once again, the question of succession became very important.
Edward III Presents His Claim
At this moment, Edward III of England put forward his claim to the French crown. He argued that if the queen gave birth to a daughter, then he should be considered the rightful heir. His claim was based on his mother, who was the daughter of King Philip IV of France.
Since a regent needed to be chosen to rule until the birth of the child, Edward claimed that he should be given this position. He believed that he would become king if the child turned out to be a girl.
To support his claim, Edward sent ambassadors to Paris. These representatives spoke before the French nobles and presented his case in a formal and serious hearing.
Decision of the French Nobles
After hearing Edward’s arguments, the French peers made their decision. They rejected his claim and instead gave the regency to Philip of Valois.
Soon after, the queen gave birth to a daughter. According to the already established rules, the child could not become queen of France. As a result, Philip of Valois became King Philip VI.