(Saint) Louis IX (nov 9, 1226 – aug 25, 1270)

Description:

son of Louis VIII and Blanche of Castile. He was crowned at 12, following the death of his father Louis VIII the Lion, although his mother, Blanche of Castile, ruled the kingdom until he reached maturity. During Louis' childhood, Blanche dealt with the opposition of rebellious vassals and put an end to the Albigensian Crusade which had started 20 years earlier. As an adult, Louis IX faced recurring conflicts with some of the most-powerful nobles, such as Hugh X of Lusignan and Peter of Dreux. Simultaneously, Henry III of England tried to restore his continental possessions, but was defeated at the battle of Taillebourg (1242). His reign saw the annexation of several provinces, notably Normandy, Maine and Provence. Louis IX was a reformer and developed French royal justice, in which the king was the supreme judge to whom anyone could appeal to seek the amendment of a judgment. He banned trials by ordeal, tried to prevent the private wars that were plaguing the country and introduced the presumption of innocence in criminal procedure. He was inspired by Christian zeal and Catholic devotion, spending exorbitant sums on presumed relics of Christ, for which he built the Sainte-Chapelle, and expanding the scope of the Inquisition. In 1234, he married Margaret of Provence, whose sister Eleanor later became the wife of Henry III of England. Following a vow he made after a serious illness and confirmed after a miraculous cure, he took an active part in the Seventh and Eighth Crusades. He died from dysentery during the latter crusade, and was succeeded by his son Philippe III.

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