The French king Louis the Saint entered the history of the world as a just and wise ruler. Thanks to him, France experienced a spiritual flowering, which no European state had ever seen before. All this gave the monarch respect for the people, his love and recognition. And even today, his memory still lives in the hearts of the French.
King’s childhood
Louis IX was born in April 1214 in Prussia. His father was the main heir to the French throne, Louis VIII, and his mother was Blanca of Castile. From a young age, the mother was engaged in the spiritual education of her son, since she herself was a zealous Christian.
Historical chronicles and books about St. Louis assure us that the young monarch was a gifted student. His teachers were even surprised at how quickly he learns new skills and knowledge. This fact greatly pleased the father of Louis, who saw great potential in his son.
Time of Troubles
In 1223, Louis VIII ascended the throne of France. In his reign, he adhered to his father’s strategy, that is, he tried to strengthen the country's borders and suppress the uprisings raised by the English vassals. Alas, this was not easy to do because the enemies formed a strong alliance. Therefore, the only way out was the Crusade, capable of rallying the French aristocracy around the king.
This adventure for Louis VIII turned into a complete disaster. Being on the lands of Muslims, he caught dysentery, which he could not overcome. In October 1226, the king died, passing the rule of the country to his son Louis IX. But the will of the monarch did not contain a clause about who would become regent under the young ruler.
Because of this, civil strife broke out in France, plunging the country into short-term chaos. It is good that Blanca of Castile was a strong-willed woman and quickly suppressed all the candidates who were objectionable to her. Moreover, having shown unprecedented wisdom and prudence, she was able to win two wars: the first - with the Albigensians, the second - with the British. This made it possible to bring France to peace, thereby preparing the fertile ground for the rule of her son.
Young monarch
Louis the Saint grew up a wise ruler. He carefully weighed all his decisions and never went about his desires. This allowed him to enlist the favor of his vassals, who saw him as a worthy leader who did not want to put them on their knees. Perhaps that is why Louis IX is one of the few kings, behind whose back the court intrigues did not weave.
It should be noted that the spiritual education of the mother is well rooted in the minds of the young man. He strictly adhered to the holy commandments, and also preached them. Cleanliness and morality for Louis IX were in the first place. And this was evident in everything: his deeds, issued decrees and instructions. Later, his mother admits that she is better off learning about the death of her son than about his sin.
Nevertheless, Saint Louis was not an ascetic or a recluse. The young king, like most French aristocrats, loved exquisite clothing. He loved to try on new outfits, showing everyone the presence of taste. Another weakness of the monarch were horses. Rumor has it that in his stable were the best horses in the country, whose cost more than exceeded the annual budget of the court official.
The marriage of a ruler
As stated earlier, the mother had a strong influence on Louis IX. Therefore, it is not surprising that it was she who decided to find a worthy party for her son. After much deliberation, her choice fell on Margarita of Provence - the daughter of Reymund Berenguer IV. This union was politically beneficial for both parties, as it was the guarantor of peace between France and the county of Provence.
The only obstacle was the relationship of Louis and Margarita. But Blanca of Castile circumvented this problem due to its ties with Pope Gregory IX. In January 1234, he issued a special document confirming the legality and purity of this marriage. And five months later, St. Louis and Margarita of Provence got married.
But in one Blanca nevertheless miscalculated. After the wedding, it turned out that the young daughter-in-law has a rather stubborn character. In addition, she strongly disliked the fact that Louis relies on his mother in everything. This was the reason for the quarrels, which now and then broke out between the two ladies.
First feat
Most of the early adversities Louis the Saint overcame thanks to the support of his mother. Because of this, many nobles for a long time did not see him as a real commander, able to control not only a kind word, but also a formidable fist. Everything changed at the moment when the English lands were invaded by the English king Henry III in the hope of returning the once lost counties.
Louis IX not only assembled the troops with lightning speed, but also chose the tactically correct battle strategy. Thanks to this, he won an impeccable victory over the enemy at Talbourg in 1242. At the same time, the French king remained merciful to the losing side. He issued a decree allowing the British to calmly go home. Moreover, a little later he returned to Henry III part of the occupied lands, guided by his Christian motives.
King's First Crusade
From early childhood, Louis IX wanted to go on a Crusade. This was his dream, reinforced by an unwavering faith in God. Therefore, when in 1244 the monarch fell ill from an illness, the clergy saw a sign in this. They decided that healing would come to him only after the Holy Louis led his army in the seventh Crusade. And indeed, as soon as the king accepted the pilgrim's staff and received the blessing of the pope, the illness receded.
Preparation for the new Crusade (seventh in a row) ended in the summer of 1248. And already in September, the king’s troops along with the pilgrims landed in Cyprus. Here they arranged a transshipment point, from which a long journey to Muslim lands began. It is noteworthy that St. Louis wanted to get to Jerusalem through Egypt, which was an extremely risky move.
Initially, the movement into the interior of the continent was fairly quick. In June 1249, the crusaders were even able to take the impregnable port city of Damiette. But on this their brilliant victories ended. The spill of the Nile only exacerbated the current state of affairs. The troops of Louis, cut off from their target, lost their fighting spirit, which led to internecine strife.
However, the main problem was the Saracens. During the downtime of the troops, they managed to assemble a strong army that could contain any onslaught. But even this did not cause the defeat of the crusaders. Choosing the wrong tactics, Louis led his people across the ford of the local river, where they were caught by an army of Muslims. Most of the soldiers died on the spot, and the king himself was captured.
Fortunately, Louis was not executed. Instead, the Saracens demanded a large ransom and the return of Damietta. Naturally, the king could not refuse such a deal, after which he was immediately released. But he only got home in 1254, as he remained in Egypt for a long time, stipulating the conditions for the return of the rest of the prisoners.
Wise king
The book about the deeds of St. Louis, written by his contemporary, tells us exactly what successes the king has achieved in the administration of his country. Historians believe that his greatest merit is the modernization of the ship system. So, he published a set of norms and laws that apply to all his subjects, whether it be aristocrats or commoners.
In addition, the French finally got the opportunity to appeal any decision of the local court by appealing to the royal court. They could also ask for legal assistance from lawyers or peers. Thanks to this, the common people fell in love with their king even more, and the aristocracy began tirelessly repeating about his wisdom and prudence.
An important change was the introduction of the Prevote system. Simply put, the king divided his country into 12 clearly defined districts. This allowed to resolve all misunderstandings related to the vassal's right to land. In addition, Louis the Saint introduced a single state currency, which operated throughout France.
Great architect
During the reign of Louis IX, more than a dozen churches and monasteries were built in France. it was he who proposed the design of the cathedral in Reims, erected the monastery of Royomon, and so on. Thanks to this, the French even today can see the architectural masterpieces of the Gothic Middle Ages.
Moreover, even outside his kingdom there are shrines dedicated to the wise king. For example, in honor of the monarch, the Cathedral of St. Louis was built, which is located in Tunisia.
Eighth Crusade: death of the king
The dream of conquering the Muslim world never left the heart of Louis IX. Therefore, in 1269 he reassembled the army in order to go on the next Crusade. In March 1270, thousands of crusaders landed in Tunisia, led by their king. However, Louis, remembering his defeat, decides not to rush the offensive and wait until the remaining forces from the mainland pull up to him.
It was this decision that subsequently destroyed the French king. A large crowd of people led to the outbreak of an unknown disease, which grew into a real epidemic. The first son of King Tristan died, and after him on August 25, Saint Louis himself died. The film, shot recently by the BBC, well describes the last days of the great ruler, spent in constant prayers and regrets, about the disobedient Jerusalem.
The memory of Louis IX
The merits of the wise king were appreciated by his contemporaries. In particular, in August 1297, Pope Boniface VIII ranked the monarch as a saint. After this, the king began to be called Saint Louis of France. No less flattering is the response of historians who believe that he gave his country so desired peace and tranquility.
Therefore, it is not surprising that several cathedrals and cultural monuments were erected in his honor. For example, even in the capital of Russia Moscow there is a church of St. Louis, named just after the name of that great French ruler.