À l'ombre de Pharamond: la royauté élective

King Pharamond is said to have been elected towards 420 and to have been the first king of France. From the eighth to the early twentieth century, this myth has played a major role in the construction of French history. Amongst the many interesting features of this legendary first king, this article will treat above all the importance of his election - and the afterlife of the notion of elective kingship during the Middle Ages and the 'Ancien Régime'. On the one hand, historical sources are minimal; on the other hand, their exploitation
has been important even though most often rather implicit. From Hugues Capet’s election
through the Reformation and the Revolution, Pharamond’s election remained an important
legitimation of popular consent to kingship.