Louis VIII of France - The Lion
On 14 July 1223, Louis VIII of France succeeded his father Philip II
as King of France. His coronation took place on 6 August in the
cathedral of Reims. But who was he?
Louis was born on 5 September 1187 as a son of King Philip II of
France and Isabelle of Hainaut.
Love and Marriage
In the summer of 1195 a marriage between Louis and Eleanor of
Brittany, a niece of King Richard I of England was suggested to
make an alliance between Philip II and Richard. But this plan
failed which led to a sudden deterioration in the relations between
Richard and Philip.
On 23 May 1200 at the age of 12!, Louis was married to
Blanche of Castile, daughter of King Alfonso VIII of Castile
and Eleanor of England, the sister of King Richard I of England.
England
In 1215, the English barons rebelled against King John of England
during the First Baron's War. The barons offered the throne to
Prince Louis, who landed on the Isle of Thanet in Kent, England at
the head of an army. This took place on 21 May 1216. There was
little resistance when the prince entered London and he was
proclaimed King Louis I of England at Old St. Paul's Cathedral.
On 14 June 1216 Louis captured Winchester and soon he controlled
over half of the English Kingdom. King John died in October 1216.
Many of the barons deserted in favour of John's son, Henry III, who
was then 9 years old.
Then the Earl of Pembroke acted as Regent, he made a call to the
English to "defend our land" against the French.
After the Battle of Lincoln on 22 May 1217 and the Battle of
Sandwich on 24 Augustus 1217, Louis was forced to make peace on
English terms.
France
In France there also were barons who were rebelious against the
King. In 1225, the council of Bourges excommunicated the
Count of Toulouse, Raymond VII and declared a renewed crusade
against the southern barons. Louis happily renewed the conflict in
order to enforce his royal rights.
Roger Bernard the Great, Count of Foix, tried to keep the peace, but
the King rejected his embassy and the Counts of Foix and Toulouse
took up arms against him.
Louis VIII headed the new crusade. His army assembled at Bourges
in May 1226. the Crusaders were captured and the towns of
Béziers, Carcassone, Beaucaire and Marsaille were taken.
Death
While returning to Paris, King Louis VIII became ill with dysentery.
He died on 8 November 1226. He was buried at the Saint Denis
Basillica. His son Louis IX succeeded him. His wife, Queen Blanche
concluded the crusade in the south in 1229.
Source pictures: Wikipedia
as King of France. His coronation took place on 6 August in the
cathedral of Reims. But who was he?
Louis was born on 5 September 1187 as a son of King Philip II of
France and Isabelle of Hainaut.
Love and Marriage
In the summer of 1195 a marriage between Louis and Eleanor of
Brittany, a niece of King Richard I of England was suggested to
make an alliance between Philip II and Richard. But this plan
failed which led to a sudden deterioration in the relations between
Richard and Philip.
On 23 May 1200 at the age of 12!, Louis was married to
Blanche of Castile, daughter of King Alfonso VIII of Castile
and Eleanor of England, the sister of King Richard I of England.
England
In 1215, the English barons rebelled against King John of England
during the First Baron's War. The barons offered the throne to
Prince Louis, who landed on the Isle of Thanet in Kent, England at
the head of an army. This took place on 21 May 1216. There was
little resistance when the prince entered London and he was
proclaimed King Louis I of England at Old St. Paul's Cathedral.
On 14 June 1216 Louis captured Winchester and soon he controlled
over half of the English Kingdom. King John died in October 1216.
Many of the barons deserted in favour of John's son, Henry III, who
was then 9 years old.
Then the Earl of Pembroke acted as Regent, he made a call to the
English to "defend our land" against the French.
After the Battle of Lincoln on 22 May 1217 and the Battle of
Sandwich on 24 Augustus 1217, Louis was forced to make peace on
English terms.
France
In France there also were barons who were rebelious against the
King. In 1225, the council of Bourges excommunicated the
Count of Toulouse, Raymond VII and declared a renewed crusade
against the southern barons. Louis happily renewed the conflict in
order to enforce his royal rights.
Roger Bernard the Great, Count of Foix, tried to keep the peace, but
the King rejected his embassy and the Counts of Foix and Toulouse
took up arms against him.
Louis VIII headed the new crusade. His army assembled at Bourges
in May 1226. the Crusaders were captured and the towns of
Béziers, Carcassone, Beaucaire and Marsaille were taken.
Death
While returning to Paris, King Louis VIII became ill with dysentery.
He died on 8 November 1226. He was buried at the Saint Denis
Basillica. His son Louis IX succeeded him. His wife, Queen Blanche
concluded the crusade in the south in 1229.
Source pictures: Wikipedia
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