Capétiens, which reigned in hot line on France from 987 to 1328, founded a hereditary dynasty without to have dared to proclaim the principle of it. Lords among others, they made of a feudal royalty an administrative monarchy. Vis-a-vis the emperor and with the pope, they affirmed their political independence and created the national feeling.
To achieve this work, of which logic imposed itself only very gradually, these kings profited from favorable conditions: a personal field, geographically coherent, which provided a strong foundation to the constitution of the kingdom; a succession of sons who could ensure without quarrels the exercise of the power according to the principle of male heredity by primogeniture. One should not underestimate either, among the favorable conditions, the richness of the ground of France, its demographic weight and the supports faithful which offered to the royalty the Church and of the aristocracies of various origins.