King Charles VI of France had psychotic episodes throughout his life, which may have been caused by schizophrenia or encephalitis. He was kind when himself, but paranoid and aggressive during episodes, even killing. He died at 53, ruling France for 42 years.
To meet the legal definition of insanity in most countries, a person must be incapable of distinguishing right from wrong. According to this definition, was the French king Charles VI mad? He can be. Was he mentally ill? No doubt. With only the benefit of medieval accounts, it is difficult to make a diagnosis, but Charles VI had psychotic episodes throughout his life, starting at the age of 24. His episodes lasted from three to nine months and recurred about every three to five months until his death. His contemporaries reported that the insanity began after a mysterious illness caused his hair and nails to fall out. By all accounts, when he was “himself,” Charles was a kind and gentle man. However, when he was in the throes of an episode, he was paranoid and aggressive, even to the point of killing. Some modern historians have theorized that Charles may have been schizophrenic, which fits with some of his behavior and age at onset of symptoms, but this is merely a theory. He may also have had encephalitis, which may have triggered the episodes. At one point, he went through a phase where he believed he was made of glass and asked to be wrapped in blankets so he wouldn’t break. Charles VI died in 1422 at the age of 53, having ruled France for 42 years.
More facts about Charles VI:
During the reign of Charles VI, France lost the famous battle of Agincourt to the English king Henry V.
Charles’s parents both had physical and mental health issues and died quite young. Many of his immediate descendants also had mental health issues.
King George III, the “mad king” of England, probably suffered from porphyria. He was a descendant of Charles VI through Queen Henry V, who may have introduced the disease into the British royal family.
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