John I of France facts for kids
Quick facts for kids John I |
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Tomb effigy of John the Posthumous
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| King of France and Navarre (more...) | |
| Reign | 15 – 20 November 1316 |
| Predecessor | Louis X and I |
| Successor | Philip V and II |
| Regent | Philip the Tall |
| Born | 15 November 1316 Paris, France |
| Died | 20 November 1316 (aged 5 days) Paris, France |
| Burial | Saint Denis Basilica |
| House | Capet |
| Father | Louis X of France |
| Mother | Clementia of Hungary |
John I (born 15 November 1316, died 20 November 1316) was known as the Posthumous. This means he was born after his father, King Louis X, had already died. John was King of France and Navarre for only five days. This makes him the youngest person ever to be a French king. He is also the only king to hold the title from the moment he was born. His reign was the shortest of any French king. Even though he was king for such a short time, historians today recognize his rule.
John reigned for just five days. His uncle, Philip the Tall, was the regent. A regent is someone who rules for a king or queen who is too young or unable to rule themselves. John died on 20 November 1316. His death was important because it ended a long tradition. For three centuries, the French throne had always passed from father to son. The baby king was buried in the Basilica of Saint-Denis. After John's death, his uncle Philip became king. Philip's claim to the throne was debated. This led to the re-establishment of the Salic law. This old law said that women could not inherit the French throne.
What Happened After John's Death?
In the Middle Ages, many babies did not survive. John might have died from common illnesses. However, rumors of poisoning started right after his death. Some people even said his aunt murdered him with a pin. Many people could benefit from his death. Also, John's father had died in strange ways too. The exact cause of John's death is still a mystery today.
John's early death caused the first big problem with succession for the Capetian dynasty. His father, Louis X, died without a son. This was the first time since Hugh Capet that the French throne did not pass directly from father to son. So, people decided to wait for Louis's pregnant wife, Clementia of Hungary, to have her baby. The king's brother, Philip the Tall, became the regent. Everyone hoped the baby would be a boy to become the new king.
When John was born, he was indeed a boy. But he died just five days later. This brought back the succession problem. Philip then became king. He took the throne instead of John's four-year-old half-sister, Joan. Joan was the daughter of Louis X and his first wife, Margaret of Burgundy.
Stories About John's Survival
Many legends spread about this royal baby. First, some claimed his uncle, Philip the Tall, had him poisoned. Then, a few decades later, a strange story began. It said that the little King John had not actually died.
During the time when John the Good was a prisoner (1356–1360), a man named Giannino Baglioni claimed to be John I. He said he was the true heir to the throne. He tried to claim his rights, but he was captured in Provence. He died in prison in 1363.
Tommaso di Carpegna Falconieri wrote a book called The Man Who Believed He Was King of France. He suggests that Cola di Rienzo made up fake evidence. This evidence would "prove" that Baglioni was John the Posthumous. Di Rienzo wanted to gain more power in Rome by putting Baglioni on the French throne. Di Rienzo was killed shortly after they met in 1354. Baglioni waited two years to make his claims.
He went to the Hungarian court. There, Louis I of Hungary, who was Clementia of Hungary's nephew, supposedly recognized him. Louis I said Baglioni was the son of Louis X and Clementia. In 1360, Baglioni went to Avignon. But Pope Innocent VI refused to meet him. After trying many times to be recognized, he was arrested. He was put in prison in Naples, where he died in 1363.
The historical novel series Les Rois maudits by Maurice Druon tells this story. It makes the theory a big part of the plot. In the book La Loi des mâles (1957), the baby John is secretly swapped. He is replaced with the child of Guccio Baglioni and Marie de Cressay. This is done by Hugues de Bouville, who was a protector of the child. John is then poisoned by Mahaut, Countess of Artois. She wanted to put John's uncle, Philippe, Count of Poitiers, on the throne. Marie is forced to raise John as her own son, named Giannino Baglioni.
See also
- List of shortest-reigning monarchs
- In Spanish: Juan I de Francia para niños
