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Saint Louis IX possessed the qualities of a great monarch, of a hero and of a saint. To his wisdom in governing he added the art of handling peace and war; two great virtues. In his actions, ambition played no role; this saint's only search was for the glory of God and the well-being of his people. Even though the two crusades he led were failures, it is a fact that Saint Louis was one of the bravest men of his time, a perfect example of the Medieval Knight who was fearless and full of honor. Born in Poise on April 25, 1214, he was the son of France's Louis VIII. When he was eight his grand-father Philip Augustus died and his father succeeded to the throne. It was Blanca, his mother's virtues, that gave Louis his magnificent education. As a child he would hear from her often: "I love you as much as a loving mother can love her son, but I would rather see you fall dead at my feet than know you had committed a capital sin". Louis would never forget this lesson. His biographer and friend, Mr. Joinville said the king asked him once: "What is God?". Joinville answered "something so good that nothing can be better than he." "Well said" replied the king, "But tell me; would you rather become a leper before committing a capital sin?" and Joinville who, supposedly, had never told a lie, answered: "You would rather commit thirty capital sins before becoming a leper". Later King Louis called him aside and explained the answer had been honorable but wrong.
Louis VIII died on November 7, 1226; Saint Louis was only 11, luckily his mother assumed the regency of the throne. During the King's childhood the barons had dedicated themselves to disrupting the reign's order; but Blanca de Castilla, who made good alliances, defeated them with valor and diligence in the battlefield and made them remain peaceful. When Saint Louis obtained victories he rejoiced above all because it meant peace for his people. He was forgiving even with the rebels and since he had never looked for vengeance, nor ambitioned conquest, he was always willing to reach an agreement. Few men have loved the church and honored its ministers as much as Saint Louis. During disputes he always listened to both sides. He enjoyed talking with priests and religious men and frequently invited them to the palace. Although he always showed himself as a merry man, on one occasion that a fryer began speaking too seriously at the table the king changed the conversation arguing: "Everything has its time". When he appointed new knights great feasts were given, but he was able to ban from his reign informal, obscene or mundane exaggerations. Joinville says: "I lived more than twenty years in the kings company and I never heard him swear to God, the Virgin or saints. Nor did I hear him speak the devil's name, except when he was reading out loud or when he discussed what he'd just read about him. A Dominican fryer confirmed never hearing him speak poorly of anyone. Louis refused to condemn Hugo de la Marche to death, even though he had joined forces with his father, arguing "a son can never disobey his father".
At 19, Saint Louis married Margarita, Count of Provenza's daughter. God blessed the kings happy marriage with 5 sons and 6 daughters and their descendants occupied France's throne until January 21, 1793; the day in which Edgeworth said to Louis XVI, moments before his decapitation: "Son of Saint Louis fly to the sky."
In 1235, Louis IX, took charge of his reign never lacking his mother's respect, whose advise he always took. In 1239, Balduine II, Latin Emperor of Constantinople, gave Saint Louis "The Crown of Thorns", thanking him for his generosity in aiding the Christians of Palestine and other eastern countries. The crown was then in the hands of the Venetians as deposit for a loan Balduine had received from them, Saint Louis had to repay the loan. The king sent two fryers to Santo Domingo to pick up the relic receiving it with his entire court beyond Sens. To keep the crown, he tore down his Saint Nicholas Chapelle and built the "Saint Chapelle".
Some of the monarch saint's destinations show to what extent he worried about administering justice. During his successors' reigns when the people felt objects of injustice, they claimed for justice as in Saint Louis' time. In 1230 he prohibited profiteering, particularly to Jews. He also wrote a decree condemning blasphemy by branding with a hot iron, a law that was applied to an important Parisian. He was known for being a just man. When he gave his word he kept is scrupulously. His integrity was such that barons and even kings looked for his arbitration and aspired to his dedication.
In 1244, after a prolonged illness, Saint Louis began a crusade in the Orient. At the beginning of the next year, he wrote to the Christians in Palestine that he would come to their aid in their fight against the unfaithful who had regained Jerusalem a few months earlier. The opposition he found from his advisers and noblemen, and the preparations in general delayed the crusade 3 and 1/2 years. Finally, in 1248 Saint Louis embarked toward Cypress accompanied by William Longsword Count of of Salisbury and 200 other English noblemen. The objective of the crusade was to regain Egypt. In the months that followed the riversides of the Nile were slowly taken until in April of 1250 Saint Louis fell prisoner and his army was severely dismantled.
During his captivity the king prayed daily with his priests as if he were in his palace. To the mockery of his captors he reacted with the dignity of a monarch, even to the infamous threats of torture for not giving up his castles in Syria. The monarch said that as a prisoner anything could happen to his body, but it was for naught. He and his followers were finally freed after giving up the city Damieta and paying one million ounces of gold. Saint Louis and his army went to Palestine where he remained until 1254. He visited holy sites, aided the Christians and strengthened the defences of Jerusalem's Latin Reign.
Ultimately, upon receiving news of his mother's death in France he returned to his homeland after six years of absence. In 1257 Saint Louis began sponsoring the arts by supporting the creation of the Sorbonne University and he aided the needy by building a hospital for the blind. But this was not the only act the Saint did for the poor. Every day he invited 13 homeless to the palace for lunch and distributed food on the streets. During Easter and Advent he gave food to all those who came to him, frequently serving them himself. St. Louis had a list of all the needy and aided them frequently. Even though he did not personally legislate, he felt a true passion for justice and was even able to transform the feudal institution into a court of justice.
In 1267 rumors began of a new crusade; this being the kings passion, it was of no surprise to anyone, but it did not please anyone because people feared loosing their king. Even though Saint Louis was less than 52 years old, he had been battered by life, work, penance and sorrows. Joinville affirmed that "those who had recommended this Crusade were guilty of Capital Sin"; and he did not participate in the venture. Saint Louis and his army departed July 1, 1270 headed for Tunisia, when the arrived the king and his eldest son had contracted typhoid. Fearing the end was near, the monarch gave his last instructions to his sons and daughters and prepared for death. Sunday, August 24 he received the last sacrament and called his ambassadors and urged them to unite the Roman church. The next day he lost his speech for three hours, and when he was able to speak again, he raised his eyes towards heaven and said: "God, I will go to your home to worship you and glorify your name". At 3 P.M. he proclaimed: "In your hands I commend my spirit" and died. His bones and heart were taken to France and deposited in the church of Saint Denis, where they rested until they were profaned during the French Revolution.
Saint Louis was canonized in 1297.