Simon of France (The Kalmar Union)

Simon of Orge, was briefly King of France during a period of intense civil war between the party backing Queen Adele and those under his own aegis.

His early life is virtually unrecorded, indeed much of what is definitely known about him is only from biased sources commissioned by his heirs. It is reasonably certain he was descended from Robert II so could confidently claim the throne however even the exact dates of his reign are still debated.

Almost the first record we have of him emerges during the period after Adele was proclaimed Queen Regnant. Her father Philip II had died at the Siege of Damascus in 1148 and many nobles saw the sense in simply upgrading her status from co-ruler to ruler in her own right. Others, including Simon believed differently and he quickly took to championing one of his and Adele's cousins, Peter, as rightful king. Civil war was not far behind. Peter would die in 1152 yet this did nothing to dampen Simon's cause, he simply made himself the rightful claimant.

Simon would succeed in capturing Paris in 1154, deposing Adele and seizing the crown for himself. The war did not end there however. Adele's husband, the confident commander Robert of Dreux was still undefeated and drove Simon out of Paris in June 1156. In September Simon would die not far from Robert's castle at Dreux. Adele was reinstalled yet would only live for another few months. Simon would have the last laugh; Adele and Robert had only had daughters and the nobles were unwilling to consider another Queen, a young and unmarried one at that, on the throne; Simons' son Robert would be crowned.