Most Christian King

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Title page of a French-Austrian alliance document from 1757: the French monarch was mostly referred to as the “Most Christian King” in official documents.

Most Christian King (French: roi très chrétien , lat. Rex Christianissimus ; Sa majesté très chrétienne, abbreviated to SMTC) was an honorary title that had been used by the kings of France since the mid-15th century .

An isolated use of the term "christianissimus" can be proven up to the Merovingian period; the term was not only used by Frankish kings, but also by various Christian rulers.

The title was first used regularly by Charles VII (king since 1422), who also had it confirmed as hereditary by the Pope and Emperor. His son and successor Louis XI. (King since 1461) was the first ruler to use the title with the consent of Popes Pius II and Paul II as part of his official title. The title remained part of the French royal title until the end of the Ancien Régime (as well as during the Restoration ).

The title as “most Christian” refers to Clovis I , the founder of the Franconian Empire , as he was the first Germanic prince to admit to Catholicism . France, thus the first Catholic state after the Roman Empire, traditionally bears the honorary title of “eldest daughter of the Catholic Church”.

Comparable titles are Catholic King (Spain since 1494; later other empires ), Apostolic King (Hungary) and Most Believer King (Portugal) or Fidei defensor (England). The aim of such honorary titles awarded by the Pope was to formally raise the rank of one's own kingship.

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