From Charles the Beloved to Charles the Mad: The Tragic Fall of a French King
When Charles VI of France inherited the French throne in 1380, he was welcomed as a symbol of hope. Crowned at just 11 years old, he grew into a popular ruler known for his kindness, earning the affectionate nickname "Charles the Beloved." Under his early reign, France enjoyed a period of stability as he gradually took control from the powerful nobles who had governed during his childhood.
Everything changed in 1392. While leading a military expedition through a forest near Le Mans, Charles suddenly suffered a terrifying mental breakdown. In a fit of madness, he attacked his own knights, killing several before being restrained. It was the first of many episodes that would haunt the rest of his life.
As his condition worsened, Charles experienced delusions so bizarre that they shocked the royal court. At times, he failed to recognize his wife and children. On one occasion, he believed he was made of glass and refused to let anyone touch him, fearing he would shatter. During his periods of insanity, rival factions of the French nobility fought bitterly for control of the kingdom.
Charles's illness plunged France into political chaos. The feud between the Armagnacs and Burgundians erupted into civil war, weakening the kingdom just as England renewed the Hundred Years' War. This instability paved the way for England's greatest victories, including the devastating defeat of France at the Battle of Agincourt.
By the time Charles VI died in 1422, the king once celebrated as "the Beloved" had become forever remembered as "Charles the Mad." His tragic illness transformed not only his own legacy but also the fate of medieval France, leaving the kingdom fractured during one of the darkest chapters in its history.