Hugh Capet , French Hugues Capet (Born 938—Died -October 14, 996, Paris, France), Seizes power after a coup d’ètat . He establishes a royal dynasty by direct male line, the Capetians. Photo credit [ Wikimedia] He was the eldest son of Hugh the Great, duke of the Franks. At the age of 18 , he lost his father . Hugh Capet inherited vast estates in the regions of Paris and Orléans , extending in some places south of the Loire River . . He thus became one of the most powerful vassals in the kingdom and a serious danger to the Carolingian king, Lothar. Hugh married Adelaide, daughter ofWilliam III , duke of Aquitaine, in 970, but his efforts to extend his influence into that southwestern kingdom were unsuccessful. From 978 to 986 Hugh was allied with the German emperors Otto II and Otto III and with Adalbero, archbishop of Reims, in political intrigues against the Carolingian king. By 985 Hugh was actually the ruler in all but title; and, after the brief reign of Lothar’s so
