the power of humility
Under the reign of Louis IX, Paris became the most prestigious city in Western Christendom. However, in private, his simplicity was unquestionable: Luis was a man who fasted and wore sackcloth on his skin, as a reminder of the passion of Christ. Although he cared for the poor and fed the lepers, he became sovereign of the most powerful state in Europe and humbly promoted conciliation and the rights of the least favored. In fact, during his reign he tried to correct the wrongs that his officials caused without his knowledge, so he began to investigate throughout the kingdom: for example, if there were ill-gotten gains, the officials should repair their fraud, etc… The kingdom would never have had a more conciliatory, more humble and more renowned prince during the Crusades, like King Louis IX, even in the Moorish country!
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Saint Louis, King of France, marked history thanks to its military, judicial and religious influence and led to much progress in the kingdom of France. Although he came to the throne very young, he demonstrated his military prowess and crushed the revolts of his opponents. Furthermore, throughout his reign in France, he kept a deep sense of justice, wisdom and Christian faith. Therefore, being a great king and a great saint, Louis IX left a splendid heritage legacy.
The life of Saint Louis
Beginning of the reign and conflicts
Louis IX was born in 1214 and was grandson of King Philip Augustus. After the early death of his brother Felipe, he became the eldest son of the five children of the princess White of Castile and of King Louis VIII. The latter, known as “the Lion”, died in 1226, only four years after his reign began. After this fact, his little 12-year-old son succeeded to the throne, but due to his young age, his mother assumed the regency until he was older.
Subsequently, Blanca de Castilla did not take long to have her son crowned to limit the uncertainty and confusion in the kingdom. However, she had to face conflicts and revolts from barons and earls. However, she knew how to display her diplomacy to bring peace to the kingdom through strategic marriages, negotiations, transfers of territories and even signing a truce with King Henry III of England, in the year 1227.
Despite all this, King Louis IX had to demonstrate his military prowess to defuse the conflicts: in 1230, he began military operations against Pierre Mauclerc, Duke of Brittany, who had sworn his loyalty to England. With his victory, he managed to impose his authority on the other lords who contended with the kingdom. In 1234 Louis married Margaret of Provenceand they had eleven children together.
Conflicts resumed in 1242, with the War of Saintonge, which faced King Luis with a coalition of counts and main lords, among whom was Henry III. The latter was eager to regain possession of the territories that had been occupied by his predecessors. The war ended in favor of Louis IX, who signed a truce with Henry III, followed by a peace treaty, known as “Treaty of Paris” in 1258. Furthermore, without rancor, Louis allowed Henry to visit the necropolis of his ancestors in France and celebrate Christmas in his company: after these events the two kings developed a sincere friendship.
The judicial reforms of San Luis
king saint louis He was widely recognized for having reformed the judicial system of his kingdom, following his deep religious convictions, which were instilled by his mother, the very pious White Princess of Castile. In fact, saint Louis, who was known as the Sun King, Louis the Great and “the Prudhomme” (defender or mediator in French), had a deep sense of justice and arbitration, which in part allowed him to resolve the profound conflict between the Capetians and the Plantagenets during his reign. Furthermore, he put an end to tournaments and duels to limit personal vendettas. In 1245, he renewed the king’s quarantine: a forty-day period of reflection established by his grandfather Philip Augustus, intended to defuse tensions between two warring clans. In fact, this notion of royal justice is perhaps best illustrated by the image of “Saint Louis dispensing justice in the Bois de Vincennes“, which was born by the establishment of a system through which the king’s subjects could address their complaints directly to their sovereign, and these would be resolved by the king’s justice officials. Saint Louis also introduced “the great edict” that he proposed the notion of presumption of innocence, assuring everyone the right to a good trial. In addition, commissioners were appointed to guarantee justice in the different cities of the kingdom.
The Crusades
Being a very pious king, Saint Louis undertook the Seventh Crusade in order to allow the pilgrimages to the Holy Land. In fact, he left the French territory in 1248, after having spent months convalescing, due to the battles fought during the War of Saintonge, and the long tactical and spiritual preparations. In 1249 he arrived in Egypt and before reaching his destination, he made a stopover in Cyprus.
Despite his promising beginnings, especially when his army succeeded in occupying Damietta, the conflicts continued to the detriment of the Templars and finally Louis and his soldiers were imprisoned. Later, he was released in 1250 and went to San Juan de Acre (now located in Israel), in exchange for a large ransom and the cession of Damietta. The king remained in the Holy Land for some years, currying favor with the Eastern Christians and trying to reorganize the defenses of the Frankish principalities. In 1252 Blanca de Castilla died and Luis returned to France two years later.
Eighteen years later, Louis IX undertook the Eighth Crusade. In 1270 he left for Tunis, but heat and illness overcame his failing health, so that the holy king died that same year, at the age of 56.
Louis IX was canonized on August 11, 1297 by Pope Boniface VIII.
The Legacy of King Louis
The relics and the Holy Chapel
King Louis is known for his deep sense of justice and, above all, for his fervent faith. Also, he was a builder king. In fact, he is credited with the construction of the walls of Aigues-Mortes, the castle of Tour… and above all, the construction of great religious works, mainly the construction of the Holy Chapel (Sainte-Chapelle).
In 1239, Saint Louis acquired the Holy Crown, symbolic relic of the Passion of Christ, in the hands of Baudoin VI, King of Constantinople. For this, he was not afraid to invest an impressive sum of money. In the following years, he continued his projects and brought to France a piece of the Holy Cross, the Holy Blood and the stone of the Holy Sepulchre. Soon after, he also brought a piece of the Holy Spear and the Holy Sponge. These relics were kept for a time in the palatine chapel of Saint Nicholas. But King Louis had the ambition to have a shrine worthy of the name built to preserve and venerate this collection of holy relics. Thus, in order to replace the chapel of Saint Nicholas, which he had ordered to be demolished, he asked to build the Holy Chapel (Sainte Chapelle) in the City Palace. Construction began between 1241 and 1244, and was completed in the span of seven years, a fairly quick time. This chapel is distinguished by its magnificent stained glass window, by an impressive architectural sophistication, which was quite impressive compared to its time.
The Holy Chapel is not a place of pilgrimage: only the college of chaplains has access, which the king founded to care for the relics and preserve the interior of the Chapel. The clergy, the royal family and their guests also have access to this sacred place. In 1248, a representative dedicated the upper part of the chapel to the Holy Cross and the lower part to the Virgin Mary.
The Saint Louis Foundation
At the beginning of the French Revolution, and shortly after, the holy relics were lost or disappeared due to the iconoclasm that took place at the time. The Holy Chapel is no longer a place of worship, but has become an archive center for the Palace of Justice. In fact, his condition is pitiful. During the 19th century, an awareness campaign led by the great contemporary writers led to the restoration of the Holy Chapel (this restoration is due in part to the book The Hunchback of Our Lady of Paris by Victor Hugo, which also led to the rescue of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Paris).
The San Luis Foundation, Created in 1972, it has undoubtedly inherited the conservation and preservation vocation of its homonymous name: it is an institution designed to guarantee the conservation of the patrimonial assets of the House of Orleans, including the Saint Louis Royal Chapel (or Royal Chapel of Dreux).
The Count of Paris, Henri d’Orléans, dedicated this foundation to the great monarch and predecessor of the kings of France. In fact, the San Luis Foundation was recognized in 1972 as an institution of public utility.