General Notes

Alias:<ALIA> The /Fat/
REFN: 3521AN
Alias:<ALIA> The Fat /Le Gros/
REFN: P3522
Louis VI the Fat (French: Louis VI le Gros) (December 1, 1081 – Augu
st 1, 1137) was King of France from 1108 to 1137. A member of the Capeti
an Dynasty, Louis was born in Paris, the son of Philip I and his first wif
e, Bertha of Holland. Almost all of his 29-year reign was spent fighting e
ither the "robber barons" who plagued Paris or the Norman kings of Engla
nd for their continental possession of Normandy. Nonetheless, Louis VI man
aged to reinforce his power considerably and endeared himself to the worki
ng classes of France. He is one of the first strong kings of France sin
ce the division of the Carolingian Empire.
In his youth, Louis fought the duke of Normandy, Robert Curthose, and t
he lords of the royal demesne, the Île de France. He became close to Suge
r, who became his adviser. He succeeded his father on his death on July 2
9, 1108. Louis's half-brother prevented him from reaching Rheims a
nd so he was crowned on August 3 in the cathedral of Orléans. The archbish
op of Rheims, Ralph the Green, sent envoys to challenge the validity of t
he coronation and anointing, but to no avail.
On Palm Sunday 1115, Louis was present in Amiens to support the bishop a
nd inhabitants of the city in their conflict with Enguerrand I of Coucy, o
ne of his vassals, who refused to recognize the granting of a charter of c
ommunal privileges. Louis came with an army to help the citizens to besie
ge Castillon (the fortress dominating the city, from which Enguerrand w
as making punitive expeditions). At the siege, the king took an arrow to h
is hauberk, but the castle, considered impregnable, fell after two years.
Louis VI died on August 1, 1137 at the castle of Béthisy-Saint-Pierre, nea
rby Senlis and Compiègne, of dysentery caused by his excesses, which had m
ade him obese. He was interred in Saint Denis Basilica. He was succeed
ed on the throne by his son Louis VII, called "the Younger," who had origi
nally wanted to be a monk.
He married in 1104: 1) Lucienne de Rochefort — the marriage was annulled.
Their child:
1) Isabelle (c.1105-before 1175), married (abt.1119) William of Vermandoi
s, seigneur of Chaumont
He married in 1115: 2) Adélaide de Maurienne (c.1100–54)
Their children:
1) Philip (1116 – October 13, 1131), King of France (1129–31)
2) Louis VII (1120 – November 18, 1180), King of France
3) Henry (1121–75), archbishop of Reims
4) Hugues (c.1122–?)
5) Robert (c.1123 – October 11, 1188), count of Dreux
6) Constance (c.1124 – August 16, 1176), married first Eustace IV, cou
nt of Boulogne and then Raymond V of Toulouse.
7) Philip (1125–61), bishop of Paris
8) Peter (c.1126–83), married Elizabeth, lady of Courtenay