Charles V (1338-1380), king of France, was known to his people as The Wise. An able monarch, he ruled during the Hundred Years’ War with England (1337-1453).
Charles was born on Jan. 21, 1338, in Vincennes, France. At the age of 18, he began ruling France for his father, King John II. The English had captured John at Poitiers, France, in 1356. In the early years of his rule, Charles had to control rebellious nobles, crush a peasant uprising, and fight off rivals who wanted his throne.
Charles formally became king in 1364 when his father died. As king, Charles used the help of advisers to strengthen the government and reorganize the army. In 1369, Charles resumed the Hundred Years’ War, which had been temporarily stopped since 1360. By the time he died on Sept. 16, 1380, he had regained almost all French land lost to England earlier in the war.
