The Salic Law and Female Rulers of France

There were two general divisions of the Franks, the Salinas and the Austrasians.

The Salian Franks, under Clovis, conquered the other tribes, in the fifth century, and founded the kingdom now called France.

A law of the Salian Franks declared that "no part of Salic land could fall to a woman," as only men could render the services required by a feudal lord. On the accession of Philip V. to the throne (1316), there was an attempt to support the claims of the late King's daughter; but the States General decided against her, the lawyers declaring that according to Salic law no woman was eligible to the throne of France. Strange to say, Philip, who first procured this application of the Salic law, suffered by it in having his own daughters excluded from the throne. It is a curious fact that while France is the only country in Europe which forbids a woman to rule, yet no other country has been more ruled by women. There is a distinction, however, between a sovereign and a legal ruler.