France
A Change of Dynasty
The first thing to keep in mind is that everyone was agreed that royalty was an inherited characteristic. Being king was more than simply holding an office. In some countries, the royal line changed so often that a tradition of elective kingship developed. This can be seen in Denmark, for example, or in Sweden. Even in Spain or England, the tradition was that kingship was inherited and only when the family line failed did the barons of the realm choose a new one. When they did, it was a grave matter, for the king was responsible to God for the welfare of the realm. Nobles had elevated social status, but kings had a demi-divine status that was still being defined in the late Middle Ages. Kings were in no sense regarded as gods, or even as divine beings, but the kings of Israel held a special position in the Bible and medieval kings often hearkened to that precedent. Their special status gave them special rights and even special powers. Only a king could create new noble titles, for example.
With its long unbroken royal tradition, the special status of the king was perhaps stronger in France than in any other nation. This can be seen, for example, in the belief that the touch of the king could heal a skin disease known as scrofula. It wasn't exactly a miraculous power, and learned theologians might argue over the exact nature of the power or even whether it was genuine or not, but in the minds of the common people there was no doubt that God worked directly through the hand of the king.
When Charles lay dying and it was clear that a new king must be chosen, religion and custom played an important role in the deliberations, but these did not prevent practical politics from figuring into the equation as well.