Portrait de Charles IV le Bel

This portrait depicts Charles IV of France, known as Charles the Fair, who reigned from 1322 to 1328 and was the last son of Philip IV the Fair. His reign marks the end of the direct Capetian line. Upon his death without a male heir, a succession crisis erupted, leading to the rise of the Valois dynasty. This situation was challenged by King Edward III of England, contributing to the outbreak of the Hundred Years’ War. Charles IV thus represents a key transition between two major periods in French history.