Hugh Capet

Hugh Capet (c. 941–996) was duke of the Franks and, from 987, king of the Franks, the first of the Capetian line. Son of Hugh the Great and Hedwige of Saxony. When Louis V, last of his line, died in 987, Archbishop Adalberon of Reims backed Hugh, who was acclaimed at Senlis and crowned; he had his son Robert the Pious anointed at Orléans.

Charles of Lorraine seized Laon in 988 and Hugh besieged it twice in vain. His appointee as archbishop of Reims, Arnoul, then opened Reims to Charles. In 991 Bishop Adalberon of Laon seized both men in their sleep and handed them to Hugh.

The nickname Capet may allude to the abbatial cape; Hugh was lay abbot of Saint-Martin of Tours. He died in 996, perhaps of smallpox, and was buried at Saint-Denis. His line held the throne until 1328, and its cadet branches until 1848.