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Selembar piagam dari masa pemerintahan [[Odo dari Perancis|Raja Odo]] (888–898) bagi gedung gereja [[Saint-Aignan d'Orléans]], yang memuat nama [[Robert IV dari Worms|Robert Si Perkasa]] dengan gelar ''dux Francorum'', adalah naskah palsu buatan abad ke-17.{{sfn|Bautier|1961|p=143}}
Antara 936 sampai 943, gelar ''dux Francorum'' dihidupkan kembali atas permintaan [[Hugues yang Agung|Hugo Agung]] ({{lang-fr|Hugues le Grand}}), pembesar yang paling berkuasa di Perancis. [[Louis IV dari Perancis|Raja Louis IV]] mengeluarkan selembar piagam pada 936 yang menyebut nama Hugo dengan gelar ''dux Francorum'', dan selembar piagam yang dikeluarkan oleh Hugo sendiri pada 937 juga menyebut namanya dengan gelar ini. Meskipun demikian, gelar ini tidak istimewa, karena gelar "bupati" ({{lang-fr|comes}}) juga tetap ia sandang.{{sfn|Ganshof|1972|p=15}} Dalam salah satu piagam yang dikeluarkannya, Raja Louis memaklumkan bahwa Hugo adalah orang nomor dua di bawahnya di seluruh wilayah kerajaannya.{{sfn|Dunbabin|2000|p=47: ''est in omnibus regnis nostris secundus a nobis''}} Pemaknaan ''dux Francorum'' sebagai gelar orang nomor dua di Kerajaan Perancis tidak disetujui secara umum. Menurut [[Flodoard dari Reims]], Raja Louis hanya sekadar "mempercayakan pemerintahan kadipaten Perancis"{{sfn|Ganshof|1972|p=15: ''rex ei ducatum Franciae delegavit''}} kepada Hugo pada 943 sebagai ganjaran atas jasanya memulangkan raja dari pembuangan. Wilayah Kadipaten Perancis atau [[Francia|Kadipaten Negeri Franka]] (''ducatus Franciae'') meliputi kawasan di antara [[Sungai Loire]] dan [[Sungai Seine]], yakni bekas wilayah Kerajaan [[Neustria]].{{sfn|Dunbabin|2000|p=47}} <!--Berdasarkan pendapat ini, gelar Hugo dinilai setara dengan gelar Adipati Aquitania ({{lang-lat|dux Aquitanorum}}), where the territorial designation ("of Aquitaine") was eschewed in favour of an ethnic one ("of the Aquitainians").{{sfn|Wolfram|1971|p=46}} "Duke of the Franks" thus became the preferred title of the [[Robertian]] [[March of Neustria|margraves of Neustria]] from 943.{{sfn|Dunbabin|2000|pp=66–68, charts the evolution of old Neustria into the duchy of Francia.}} Walther Kienast suggested that the title served to connect Hugh with the previous ''duces Francorum'', Pippin II and Charles Martel, and buttress his authority in Francia, from which he was frequently absent on visits to the royal court.{{sfn|Dunbabin|2000|p=68}}
Hugh died in 956 and was succeeded by his son and heir, the child [[Hugh Capet]]. In 960, according to Flodoard, "the king <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Lothair of France|Lothair]]<nowiki>]</nowiki> made Hugh [Capet] a duke, and added for him the [[County of Poitou|country of Poitou]] to the land which his father had held."{{sfn|Ganshof|1972|p=15: ''Hugonem rex ducem constituit, addito illi pago Pictavensi ad terram quam pater eius tenuerat. . .''}} The younger Hugh's first charter with the ducal title dates to 966, while the first royal charter with the title dates to 974.{{sfn|Ganshof|1972|p=15}} Lothair son, [[Louis V of France|Louis V]], already [[King of Aquitaine|king of the Aquitainians]], recognised Hugh as duke of the Franks in a charter of 979.{{sfn|Ganshof|1972|p=15}} The title fell into abeyance and the Neustrian march ceased to form an administrative unit after Hugh succeeded to the French throne in 987.{{sfn|Fanning|1995|p=1250}}{{sfn|Glenn|2001|pp=1069–70}} Nevertheless, the officials and vassals (''fideles'') of the duchy of Francia became the chief men of the king of France after 987. Although the [[royal demesne]] was enlarged by Hugh's accession, royal action became more geographically restricted to Francia.{{sfn|Dunbabin|2000|pp=137–40}}
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