Capetian and Valois Burials

The burial of King Hugues Capet in the 10th century at St. Denis began a period of continueous trend of Kings being intered in the Abbey, with only three exceptions between the 10th and 18th century. 

During the period between 10th and 15th century the coffins and tombs of the French monarchy became the dominant political draw of the cathedral as royal patronage overtook pilgram patronage. The royal house of Capet would invest greatly into the abbey and the visionary Abbot Suger would be responsible to numerous expansions to the facade and towers of the newly constructed basilica. After Suger's death the abbey would see a lull in the construction of the basilica due to funds being diverted to the efforts of the crusades, but the construction would be finished by the renewed efforts of one Abbot Odo and King Saint Louis IX in 1231 AD.

French royal tombs at this time begin to change from buried stone coffins to more elaborate sculpted effigies of the deceased monarch, laid above ground in ornate sepulchers in a collection called a "necropolis". 

The Valois would continue the royal patronage of the basilica as the Renaissance began and the grandour of the tombs only became more insane. The effigies on the coffins become near life like scupltures of the monarch in poses suggesting glory even in death.