Ludovic the Sacred: biography and his kingdom

The French king Louis the Saint entered the world history as a just and wise ruler. Thanks to him, France experienced a spiritual flowering, which no European state had seen before. All this gave the monarch respect of the people, his love and recognition. And even today the memory of him still lives in the hearts of the French.

Childhood of the King

Louis IX was born in April 1214 in Prussia. His father was the chief heir to the French throne, Louis VIII, and his mother - Blanca of Castile. From a young age, the mother was engaged in the spiritual upbringing of her son, as she herself was a zealous Christian.

Historical chronicles and books about Louis the Sovereign assure us that the young monarch was a gifted disciple. His teachers even marveled at how quickly he mastered new skills and knowledge. This fact greatly rejoiced the father of Louis, who saw in his son a great potential.

Time of Troubles

In 1223, Louis VIII ascended the throne of France. In his reign, he adhered to the strategy of his father, that is to say, he tried to strengthen the country's borders and suppress the uprisings raised by English vassals. Alas, it was not easy to do this because the enemies formed a lasting alliance. Therefore, the only way out was the Crusade, capable of rallying around the king the French aristocracy.

This adventure for Louis VIII turned into a complete catastrophe. Being on the lands of Muslims, he picked up dysentery, which he could not overcome. In October 1226, the king died, having transferred the government to his son Louis IX. But only the monarch's will did not contain a clause about who would become the regent under the young ruler.

Because of this, internecine strife broke out in France, which plunged the country into short-term chaos. It's good that Blanka Castilskaya was a strong-willed woman and quickly suppressed all the applicants who did not like her. Moreover, showing unprecedented wisdom and prudence, she was able to win two wars: the first - with the Albigenses, the second - with the British. This allowed France to lead the world, thus preparing a fertile ground for the government of her son.

The young monarch

Louis the Holy rose wise ruler. All his decisions he carefully weighed and never went on 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 be put on his knees. Probably, that's why Louis IX is one of the few kings, whose backs were not spoiled by court intrigues.

It should be noted that the spiritual upbringing of the mother was well established in the mind of the young man. He strictly adhered to the holy commandments, and preached them. The purity and morality for Louis IX were in the first place. And it was evident in everything: his deeds, issued decrees and instructions. Later, his mother confesses that she is better informed about the death of her son than about the sin that he committed.

And yet Louis the Saint was not an ascetic or reclusive. The young king, like most French aristocrats, loved fine clothes. He loved to try on new clothes, showing everyone the taste. Another weakness of the monarch was horses. It is rumored that in its stable there were the best horses in the country, whose value more than exceeded the annual budget of the court official.

Marriage of the ruler

As stated earlier, the mother had a strong influence on Louis IX. Therefore it is not surprising that she decided to find a worthy party for her son. After much thought, her choice fell on Margarita Provanska - the daughter of Reymund Berenguer IV. This union was politically beneficial for both sides, 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 this problem Blanka Castilskaya bypassed due to her connections with Pope Gregory IX. In January 1234, he issued a special document confirming the legality and purity of this marriage. And five months later, Louis the Saint and Margarita of Provence were married.

But in one Blanka still miscalculated. After the wedding, it turned out that the young daughter-in-law has a rather stubborn character. Moreover, she strongly disliked the fact that Louis relied on everything in his mother. This was the reason for quarrels, which now and then broke out between these two ladies.

The first feat

Most of the early adversity, St. Louis prevailed thanks to the support of his mother. Because of this, many nobles for a long time did not see in him a real commander, able to manage not only a kind word, but also a formidable fist. Everything changed at a time when the English lands were invaded by the English King Henry III in the hope of regaining the once-lost counties.

Louis IX not only lightning fast assembled troops, but also chose a tactically correct strategy of combat. Thanks to this, he won an impeccable victory over the enemy at Talyebour in 1242. At the same time, the French king remained merciful to the loser. He issued a decree allowing the English to go quietly home. Moreover, a little later he returned Henry III part of the occupied lands, guided by his Christian motives.

The First Crusade of the King

From the early childhood, Louis IX wanted to go to the Crusade. This was his dream, strengthened by an unshakable faith in God. Therefore, when in 1244 the monarch shed his illness, the clergy saw a sign in it. They decided that healing would come to him only after Louis the Holy headed his army in the Seventh Crusade. Indeed, it was worth the king to receive the pilgrim's staff and receive the blessing of the Pope, as the ailment receded.

Preparations for a new Crusade (the seventh in a row) ended in the summer of 1248. And in September, the king's troops, together with the pilgrims landed in Cyprus. Here they arranged a transit point, from which a long journey to the Muslim lands began. It is noteworthy that to St. Louis, St. Louis wanted to get through Egypt, which was an extremely risky move.

Initially, the advance into the interior of the continent passed rather quickly. In June 1249, the crusaders even managed to take the impregnable port city of Damiette. But on this their brilliant victories ended. The spill of the Nile only aggravated the current state of affairs. The troops of Louis, cut off from their goal, lost their morale, which led to internecine strife.

However, the main problem was Saracens. During the time of idle troops, they were able to assemble a strong army capable of containing any onslaught. But even this did not cause the defeat of the Crusaders. Choosing the wrong tactics, Louis led his people through the ford of the local river, where they were caught by the army of Muslims. Most of the soldiers died on the spot, and the king himself was taken prisoner.

The blessing of 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 got home only in 1254, as he stayed in Egypt for a long time, stipulating the conditions for the return of the other prisoners.

Wise King

The book about the deeds of Louis the Holy, written by his contemporary, tells us about exactly what successes the king achieved in governing his country. Historians believe that the greatest merit of it is the modernization of the ship system. So, he issued a set of rules and laws that applied to all his subjects, whether they were aristocrats or commoners.

In addition, the French have finally been given 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 grew more fond of their king, and the aristocracy began to tirelessly reiterate his wisdom and prudence.

An important change was the introduction of a system of pre-emption. Simply put, the king divided his country into 12 clearly designated districts. This allowed to resolve all misunderstandings connected with the right of the vassal to the land. In addition, Louis the Saint introduced a single state currency, which operated throughout France.

The great architect

During the reign of Louis IX in France was built not one dozen churches and monasteries. 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 contemplate 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 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 again gathers the army, in order to go on the next Crusade. In March 1270, the army of thousands of crusaders landed in Tunisia, led by his king. However, remembering his defeat, Ludovik decides not to hurry with the offensive and wait until the rest of the forces from the mainland are pulled to him.

This decision subsequently ruined the French king. A large crowd of people led to an outbreak of an unknown disease that developed into a real epidemic. The first son of King Tristan died, and after him August 25 died, and Louis himself Saint. The film, shot recently by the BBC, well describes the last days of the great ruler, held in constant prayers and regrets, about the unbowed Jerusalem.

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 to the rank of saints. After this, the king began to be called the holy Louis the French. No less flattering about him are the historians who believe that he gave his country so much desired peace and peace.

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 has a church of St. Louis, named after the very same name of that great French ruler.