Middle Ages

Kingdom of France

Period
AD 990 – AD 1791
Duration
approx. 801 years
Greatest extent
around AD 1757
Area (max.)
approx. 797,000 km²
Kingdom of France at its greatest extent (around AD 1757) · Borders: Cliopatria
▶ View on the interactive map

Profile

Strength

A centralised state with Europe's largest army under Louis XIV (up to about 400,000 men).

Famous figures

  • Philip II Augustus
  • Joan of Arc
  • Francis I
  • Henry IV
  • Louis XIV

Wars & battles won

  • Battle of Bouvines (1214)
  • Hundred Years' War (1337–1453)

Wars & battles lost

  • Battle of Agincourt (1415)
  • Battle of Pavia (1525)
  • Seven Years' War (1756–63)

Languages

  • French
  • Occitan

Period and duration

Kingdom of France — according to the map data from AD 990 to AD 1791, roughly 801 years. The dates refer to the time the empire is drawn as its own territory on the world map; historians sometimes date its founding and end differently.

Greatest extent

Kingdom of France — greatest extent around AD 1757: the mapped borders then cover about 797,000 km², roughly 0.5% of Earth's land area. The area is calculated from the border lines of the map and is therefore an approximation.

AD 990Area according to the map data (max. 793,000 km²)AD 1791

Predecessors and successors

States that ruled the same territory directly before and after:

Before (AD 989)

After

Neighbours around AD 1757

The largest states in the region at the same time:

Learn more

Borders and dates: Cliopatria / Seshat Global History Databank (CC BY 4.0). Coastlines: Natural Earth. Text: Centaurian.