Coronation of the French monarch the Holy Ampulla, from the Abbey to the very steps of the high altar of the Cathedral, where he turned the relic over to the Archbishop of Rheims for its use in the coronation ritual. All succeeding Kings of France were anointed with this same oil—mixed with chrism prior to their coronation. French queens were crowned either together with their husband at Rheims or alone at Sainte-Chapelle or Abbey of St. Denis. The king is crowned by the Archbishop of Reims who is assisted by four suffragan bishops of his ecclesiastical province, and of the Bishop of Langres and Chapter
Coronation of the French monarch abbey church) completed the inauguration of the French king During the Middle Ages, Capetian Kings of France chose to have their heirs apparent crowned during their own lifetime in order to avoid succession disputes. This practice was later adopted by Angevin King of England and Kings of Hungary. From the moment of their coronation, the heirs were regarded as junior kings ("rex iunior"), but they exercised little power and were not included in the numbering of monarchs. The nobility disliked this custom, as it reduced their chances to benefit from a possible succession dispute. The last heir apparent to the