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 At his
coronation as king of France, Louis bound himself by oath to behave as God’s
anointed, as the father of his people and feudal lord of the King of Peace.
Other kings had done the same, of course. Louis was different in that he
actually interpreted his kingly duties in the light of faith. After the
violence of two previous reigns, he brought peace and justice.
He was crowned king at 12, at his father’s death. His mother, Blanche of
Castile, ruled during his minority. When he was 19, (and his bride 12) he
was married to Marguerite of Provence. It was a loving marriage, despite her
arrogant and restless nature. They had 10 children.
Louis “took the cross” for a Crusade when he was 30. His army took Damietta
on the Nile but not long after, weakened by dysentery and without support,
they were surrounded and captured. Louis obtained the release of the army by
giving up the city of Damietta in addition to paying a ransom. He stayed in
Syria four years.
He is admired as a crusader, but perhaps he deserves greater credit for his
extending justice in civil administration. He drew up regulations for his
officials which became the first of a series of reform laws. He replaced
trial by battle with a form of examination of witnesses and encouraged the
beginning of using written records in court.
Louis was always respectful of the papacy, but defended royal interests
against the popes and refused to acknowledge Innocent IV’s sentence against
Emperor Frederick II.
Louis was devoted to his people, founding hospitals, visiting the sick and,
like his patron St. Francis, caring even for people with leprosy. (He is one
of the patrons of the Secular Franciscan Order.) Louis united France—lords
and townsfolk, peasants and priests and knights—by the force of his
personality and holiness. For many years the nation was at peace.
Every day Louis had 13 special guests from among the poor to eat with him,
and a large number of poor were served meals near his palace. During Advent
and Lent, all who presented themselves were given a meal, and Louis often
served them in person. He kept lists of needy people, whom he regularly
relieved, in every province of his dominion.
Disturbed by new Muslim advances in Syria, he led another crusade in 1267,
at the age of 41. His crusade was diverted to Tunis for his brother’s sake.
The army was decimated by disease within a month, and Louis himself died on
foreign soil at the age of 44. He was canonized 27 years later.
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