HUGUES, son of HUGUES “le Grand” Duc des Francs & his third wife Hedwig of Germany ([940]-villa "Les Juifs", near Prasville, Eure-et-Loire 24 Oct 996, bur église de l'Abbaye royale de Saint-Denis). The Historia Francorum Senonensis names (in order) "Hugo, Otto et Heinricus" as the three sons of "Hugo Magnus dux Francorum…ex filia Odonis regis"[141]. Flodoard names "Hugonem et Oddonem clericum" as brothers of "Otto filius Hugonis", when he records that the rectoresof Burgundy named them as his successors[142]. Rodulfus Glauber names "Hugoni, Parisiensis ducis filio…illius Magni Hugonis", specifying that his mother was "Ottone…sorore"[143]. His father named Richard Comte [de Normandie] as Hugues's guardian in 956, the arrangement being confirmed by Richard's betrothal to the sister of Hugues. The Annales Nivernenses record in 958 that "rex et mater sua et Ugo filius Ugonis et mater sua" attended a hearing "apud Marziacum vicum iuxta Nevernis…contra Guillelmum comitem Aquitaniæ post missa sancti Martini"[144]. He was installed as Duc des Francs/dux Francorum by Lothaire King of the West Franks in 960. By 974, Hugues had become effective leader of France under King Lothaire, and headed the army which retook the kingdom of Lotharingia from Otto IIKing of Germany in 978[145]. He was elected HUGUES "Capet" King of France by an assembly of nobles at Senlis 29 May 987, after the death of Louis V King of France. He was consecrated at Noyon 1 Jun 987. Charles Duke of Lotharingia, the late king's uncle, opposed the accession of King Hugues. He captured Laon in [May] 988, and Reims in [Aug/Sep] 989, with the help of his nephew Arnoul Archbishop of Reims, but was finally captured at Laon in 991[146]. The Historia Francorum Senonensis records the death in 998 of "Hugo rex" and his burial "in basilica beati Dyonisii martiris Parisius"[147]. The necrology of the abbey of Saint-Denis records the death "IX Kal Nov" of "Hugo rex"[148].
m ([968]) ADELAIS [de Poitou, daughter of GUILLAUME III “Tête d'Etoupes” Duke of Aquitaine [GUILLAUME I Comte de Poitou] & his wife Adela [Gerloc] de Normandie] ([950/55]-15 Jun [1004]). There is some doubt about Adelais’s ancestry. The 11th century Translatio S. Maglorii et aliorum names "Adelaide…filia Pictavorum comitis, de progenie Caroli Magni" as the wife of "Hugone, Francorum duce", clarifying that the latter refers to Hugues "Capet" King of France when it names "Roberto…rege, memorati ducis filio"[149]. This Poitevin origin is also suggested by Richer when he records that King Robert "ob nepotem suum Wilelmum" besieged "in Aquitania…Hildebertum"[150]. It is assumed that such a relationship between King Robert and Duke Guillaume would be through the king's mother as no family connection through his father has been established. Some doubt about this supposed Poitevin ancestry is introduced by the Chronicle of Ademar de Chabannes which, on the other hand,recounts the dispute between "Dux Aquitanorum Willelmus" and King Hugues, as well as the subsequent peace agreed between the parties in 990, without mentioning that the duke was the king's brother-in-law[151], all the more surprising if the Poitevin origin is correct as Ademar concentrates on Poitevinaffairs and also includes genealogical details in hisnarrative. Another possible ancestry is suggested by Helgaud's Vita Roberti Regis which names "Rex Francorum Rotbertus…patreHugone, matre Adhelaide",specifying that "ab Ausonis partibusdescenderat"[152]. Settipani equates "Ausonia" with Rome or Italy[153], although no other reference to an Italian origin for Adelais has yet been identified. The Chronicle of Alberic de Trois-Fontaines refers to the mother of "rex Francorum Robertus" as "superioremregum Anglie soror"[154] but it is difficult to see to whom this could refer or how it could be correct. The paucity of references in contemporary sources to the wife of Hugues Capet and her origin contrasts sharply with the frequent references to his mother and to the wives of his son King Robert II. This suggests that the background of Queen Adelais may have been obscure and that her family had little political influence at the time, although this would be surprising as her husband was already enjoying a position of some power at the Carolingian court at the time of his marriage. Maybe her family was prominent when the couple married but suffered a subsequent decline by the time her husband was elected king. Nevertheless, anAquitainian marriage would have fitted the political circumstances of the time. After several decades of dispute between the Capet and Poitou families,a permanent peace appears to have been established from about the time the marriage took place[155]. The necrology of the abbey of Saint-Denis records the death "XVII Kal Jul" of "Adelaidis regina"[156].
[Mistress (1): ---. The name of King Hugues's possible mistress is not known.]
King Hugues & his wife had three children