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Louis VIIFrench king (1123-26), Capetian dynasty
Date of Birth: 05.09.1187
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Content:
Biography of Louis VIII
Louis VIII (1187-1226) was a French king and a member of the Capetian dynasty. He ruled as the King of France from 1223 to 1226. He was the son of Philip II Augustus and Isabella of Hainaut. Louis VIII was married to Blanche, the daughter of King Alfonso VIII of Castile.
Early Military Victories
Even as a young heir, Louis VIII displayed himself as an energetic and active military leader. In 1214, he inflicted several defeats upon the English king John, pushing him back to La Rochelle and preventing him from uniting with the Holy Roman Emperor Otto IV. This led to his father's brilliant victory at the Battle of Bouvines. The following year, Louis VIII entered into a secret agreement with English barons and began preparing for an expedition to England. In May 1216, he landed on the Isle of Thanet at the mouth of the Thames, then crossed over to Kent, capturing Canterbury and Rochester. In July, amidst the joyful cries of the people, he entered London. He promised the citizens to protect their ancient laws, restore the property taken by John, and the people swore allegiance to Louis VIII. Many English knights, out of hatred for their king, switched their allegiance to the French. Despite being excommunicated by Pope Innocent III, who had vigorously supported John, Louis VIII was not affected as the majority of English bishops were on his side. When Innocent III died, the French party on the island completely overwhelmed John. Louis VIII laid siege to Dover. He was close to complete victory when John's sudden death in October changed his position.
Peace with England and Renewed War
With the hated king no longer alive, English barons gradually united around his son, Henry III. In 1217, English supporters of Louis VIII suffered a major defeat at Lincoln. In August, the English fleet defeated the French fleet at the mouth of the Thames. Louis VIII realized that continuing the war was impossible and made peace with Henry in September, returning to France.
After ascending to the throne, Louis VIII resumed the war in 1224, aiming to take lands from the English between the Loire and the Garonne rivers. He quickly captured Niort, Saint-Jean-d'Angély, La Rochelle, and finally gained control over the entire region of Poitou. The war was still ongoing when new tempting prospects diverted Louis VIII's attention to the south. The Albigensian Crusade resurfaced, but this time the heretics and Count Raymond of Toulouse were successful. Amalric of Montfort, ruler of the Crusader state, seeing all his conquests slipping away, was forced to seek salvation even during the lifetime of Philip II by handing over to the French king the military leadership and supreme authority over the captured territory. Philip, however, treated this gift with great caution and until his death did not make any attempts to interfere in the conflict. In contrast, Louis VIII, out of genuine piety, considered it his duty to be the defender of the faith. In January 1226, the king took the cross from the hands of the Pope's legate and vowed to lead a crusade against Raymond. In the summer, a large French army headed south. The terrified Albigensians did not even think of resisting, and Louis VIII encountered significant resistance only under the walls of Avignon. After several months of siege, the city surrendered, and the crusaders crossed the Rhône. Already seriously ill, the king approached Toulouse but did not lay siege to it. Instead, he quickly organized his possessions and prepared to return. On the way back, he died of a fever.
All the Monarchs of the World. Western Europe. Konstantin Ryzhov. Moscow, 1999.