List of heads of state of France
Name From Until Relationship with his predecessors Title
Pepin the Younger , the Short ( Pépin le Bref ) 751 24 September 768 • Son of Charles Martel King of the Franks ( Roi des Francs )
Carloman I 24 September 768 4 December 771 • Son of Pepin the Short King of the Franks ( Roi des Francs )
Charlemagne ( Charles I , the Great ) 24 September 768 28 January 814 • Son of Pepin the Short King of the Franks ( Roi des Francs ) Emperor of the Romans ( Imperator Romanorum ) ( 800-814 )
Louis I the Pious , the Debonaire ( Louis Ier le Pieux , le Débonnaire ) 28 January 814 20 June 840 • Son of Charlemagne King of the Franks ( Roi des Francs ) Emperor of the Romans ( Imperator Romanorum )
Charles II the Bald ( Charles II le Chauve ) 20 June 840 6 October 877 • Son of Louis I King of the Franks ( Roi des Francs ) Emperor of the Romans ( Imperator Romanorum ) ( 875-877 )
Louis II the Stammerer ( Louis II le Bègue ) 6 October 877 10 April 879 • Son of Charles II King of the Franks ( Roi des Francs )
Louis III 10 April 879 5 August 882 • Son of Louis II King of the Franks ( Roi des Francs )
Carloman II 5 August 882 6 December 884 • Son of Louis II King of the Franks ( Roi des Francs )
Charles III the Fat ( Charles le Gros ) 20 May 885 13 January 888 • Son of Louis the German • Cousin of Louis II and Carloman II • Grandson of Louis I the Pious King of the Franks ( Roi des Francs ) Emperor of the Romans ( Imperator Romanorum ) ( 881-887 )
Carolingian dynasty ( 751–888 )
The Carolingian dynasty was a Frankish noble family with origins in the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD . The family consolidated its power in the late 8th century , eventually making the offices of Mayor of the Palace and dux et princeps Francorum hereditary and becoming the de facto rulers of the Franks as the real powers behind the throne . By 751 , the Merovingian dynasty , which until then had ruled the Germanic Franks by right , was deprived of this right with the consent of the Papacy and the aristocracy , and a Carolingian , Pepin the Short , was crowned King of the Franks . [ 10 ] [ 9 ]
Below is a list of all French heads of state. It includes the monarchs of the Kingdom of France, emperors of the First and Second Empire and leaders of the five Republics.