Medal Saint Louis Ix Dit Le Prudhomme 1969 Josette Hébert-coëffin King France -

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Seller: artistic.medal ✉️ (4,938) 100%, Location: Strasbourg, FR, Ships to: WORLDWIDE, Item: 176253663514 Medal Saint Louis Ix Dit Le Prudhomme 1969 Josette Hébert-coëffin King France -. In 1248, while staying in Cyprus, the King of France was approached by envoys from Eljigidei, a Mongol commander based in Armenia and Persia11. Eljigidei warns Louis "that Güyük Khan is ready to help him conquer the Holy Land and deliver Jerusalem from the hands of the Saracens" and suggests that he land in Egypt, while he attacks Baghdad, to prevent the Saracens of Egypt and those of Syria join forces12,L 66. The king then sent two preachers to the Great Khan, including André de Longjumeau, as well as a very luxurious scarlet tent as a chapel, containing “images” showing the essentials of the Christian faithL 66. However, Güyük died before the arrival of the ambassador, and nothing concrete resulted; Queen Oghul Qaïmich, now regent, politely declined the offer12. In 1249, Louis learned th. 243- tir96 Bronze medal, from the Paris Mint . 1969 strike. Some minimal traces of handling. Blank attribution reverse. Artist/engraver : Josette HÉBERT-COËFFIN (1908-1974) . Dimensions : 68mm. Weight : 170 g. Metal : bronze. Hallmark on the edge (mark on the edge)  : cornucopia + bronze + 1969. Quick and neat delivery. The stand is not for sale. The support is not for sale. Louis IX, known as “the Prudhomme”L 1 and more commonly called Saint Louisa, is a Capetian king of France born April 25, 1214 in Poissy and died August 25, 1270 in Carthage, near Tunis. He reigned for over 43 years, from 1226 until his death. Considered a saint during his lifetime, he was canonized by the Catholic Church in 1297. Ninth king of France from the direct Capetian dynasty, he is the fourth or fifth child and second known son of King Louis VIII, known as "Louis the Lion", and of Queen Blanche of Castile, from whom he received a very strict and very pious throughout her childhood. The eldest surviving member of his siblings, he inherited the crown on the death of his father, when he was only twelve years old. He was crowned on November 29, 1226 in the cathedral of Reims, but it was the queen mother who, in accordance with the will of Louis VIII, exercised the regency of the Kingdom until the new monarch reached the age of majority. Having become an adult, Louis IX put an end to the conflict between Capetians and Plantagenets and was concerned with the extension of the royal domain, to which he attached in particular the seneschals of Beaucaire and Carcassonne, while consolidating his sovereignty over Normandy, Anjou, Touraine, Maine and Poitou. He leads a reign inspired by the values ​​of Christianity which helps to found the idea that spiritual and political powers can be embodied by a single man. It attenuates the excesses of feudalism in favor of the notion of the common good and develops royal justice, where the sovereign appears as “the supreme justice”. In this way, he gradually moved France from a feudal monarchy to a modern monarchy, no longer based only on the personal relationships of the king with his vassals, but on those of the king as head of state with his " topics ". Louis IX is indeed a reforming king who wants to bequeath a kingdom whose subjects will be subject to just power: he renews the "quarantine-the-king", orders the presumption of innocence, reduces the use of torture, prohibits the ordeal and private vengeance and instituted the supplicatio, consisting of being able to appeal to the king for the amendment of a judgment. His reputation goes beyond the borders of the Kingdom, his arbitration is at the same time requested by the different monarchies of Europe. He also established a single currency in the Kingdom and was the instigator of the institutions which would become the Parliament and the Court of Auditors. Very pious, he also built several churches, abbeys and hospices, came to the aid of the weakest, worked on the conversion of Mongol princes, supported the founding of the Sorbonne college and obtained relics of the Passion for which he had the Sainte-Chapelle built in 1242. In accordance with his wish made following a serious illness, then confirmed following a so-called miraculous healing, Saint Louis left to fight with his brothers Robert d'Artois, Alphonse de Poitiers and Charles d'Anjou, in Egypt. , during the seventh crusade. On his return, while he is convinced that his failure is due to the state of immorality of the Kingdom, he works to strengthen its authority and to reestablish Christian morality. He thus decides to punish blasphemy, gambling, interest-bearing loans and prostitution; he also tried to convert the Jews of France to Christianity willingly or by force. To this end, he ended up imposing various measures on them, including the burning of the Talmud and, towards the end of his reign, the wearing of the rouelle. Finally, in 1270, he returned to Tunisia for the eighth crusade, during which he died of illness. The plague, dysentery and typhus were mentioned in turn; in 2019, analyzes showed that the king was seriously ill with scurvy, and possibly bilharzia. He was canonized on August 11, 1297 under the name of Saint Louis of France by Pope Boniface VIII, under the leadership of his grandson Philip IV the Fair. His liturgical feast is fixed on the anniversary of his death, that is to say August 25. Today considered as a monarch who offered France an economic, intellectual and artistic renewal, he is considered one of the three great direct Capetians with his grandfather Philip II Augustus and his grandson Philip IV the Fair. Childhood and education Born on April 25, 1214 under the reign of his grandfather Philippe Auguste, at the Château de PoissyL 2, the future Louis IX was the fifth child and second known son of the future King Louis VIII, known as "the Lion", and of the princess Blanche de Castillec. He only became the heir at the age of four, after the early death of his older brother: PhilippeL 4. Immediately after his birth, he was baptized in the Notre-Dame de Poissy collegiate church; this place will remain dear to the king, who will like to sign his letters with the name “Louis de Poissy”, or even, “Louis, seigneur de Poissy”, considering that his true birth remains his baptismL 5. His parents, and more particularly Princess Blanche of Castile, gave him a very thorough education so that he was religiously and morally trained for the royal function and prepared to protect the ChurchL 2. The little prince also lives with his aging grandfather, King Philippe-Auguste, who exercises great influence over him. Philippe is the first king of France to know his grandson, which accentuates the dynastic strength of the childL 6,d. Information Click on an image to enlarge it, or hover over it to view its caption.     Louis' family life     Illumination representing the birth of Saint Louis. Blanche of Castile is bedridden, surrounded by three maids, one of whom is carrying the haloed newborn.     Birth of Louis IX, Grandes Chroniques de France of Charles V, 14th century.     Illumination showing the young Louis IX seated with a book in his hand, in front of a priest who points to the work. Blanche of Castile, seated on a chair, observes them.     Reading lesson from Saint Louis, Great Chronicles, 14th century.     Illumination showing Louis and his mother in a chariot, followed by the great ones of the kingdom on horseback.     Louis and his mother going to Reims, id. 14th century.     Illumination representing Saint Louis kneeling, receiving the Eucharist from the hands of a bishop.     Communion of Louis IX, Life and miracles of Saint Louis, G. de St. Pathus, 14th century. King of France Coronation of the child king Illumination showing Louis kneeling, in a prayer position, before a bishop who anoints him. The prelates of the kingdom are present on the left, the lords on the right. The coronation of Louis IX, miniature from the manuscript of the Ordo du sacre of 1250, BNF, Lat.1246, fo 17. Louis was nine years old when his grandfather Philippe Auguste died on July 14, 1223. It was then his father, Louis “the Lion” who became king but for a short time since he died three years later, on November 8, 1226L 8. On November 3, a few days before his death, Louis VIII called the barons, prelates and important figures of the army into his room to make them promise that, as soon as he died, they would pay homage and faith to his son. , and that they would crown him king as quickly as possible. According to the chronicler Philippe Mouskes, Louis VIII also commissioned his closest advisors, Barthélemy de Roye, Jean de Nesle and Brother Guérin, to watch over his childrenL 9,f. Louis was twelve years old when his father died, the anguish and worry of being governed by a child then invaded the KingdomL 10. However, although a child, the new king demonstrated great maturityL 11 and, while no text or tradition provides for who should govern under the reign of a king who is too young, tutelage passes into the hands of the queen mother, Blanche of Castile, from the first days following the death of her husbandL 12. This situation is legalized by an unprecedented act, in which the archbishop of Sens and the bishops of Chartres and Beauvais affirm that Louis VIII, on his deathbed, had made it known that he decided to place his son as heir, the Kingdom and his other children under the “lease and guardianship” of his wife until Louis reached his majorityL 13. Photograph of the circular letter addressed by the prelates and barons of the kingdom to the bishops and great feudatories to invite them to attend the Coronation of the young Louis IX. Circular letter addressed by the prelates and barons of the Kingdom to the bishops and great feudatories to invite them to attend the coronation of the young Louis IX, on November 29, 1226. National Archives. Louis IX was crowned king on November 29, 1226 in Notre-Dame de Reims cathedral by the bishop of Soissons, Jacques de Bazoches. His coronation is marked by three aspects. First, the speed of the event, so that Louis IX would quickly be “completely” king and no one could put pressure on him or his entourageL 14. Then, he was quickly knighted, during a stopover in Soissons on the way to Reims, because the King of France must necessarily be a knight. Finally, the third aspect on which the chroniclers insist is the absence of the great personalities of the Kingdom, both ecclesiastical and layL 15,g. Chroniclers have often given political reasons for these absences, but according to Jacques Le Goff, even if it is true that some shun the coronation for political reasons, most simply did not have time to prepare their trip due to from the rush of the ceremony. Furthermore, the coronation of a child is not particularly attractive for prelates and great lordsL 16. Blanche of Castile exercises power with the title of “bailister” and remains for a short time surrounded by experienced – but aging – advisors from the two previous reigns: brother Guérin, chancellor of France, returns the seals and dies in 1227; Barthélemy de Roye, great chamberlain of France, gradually faded away and died in 1237 and Jean de Nesle only appeared intermittently. The queen's main support then remained Gauthier Cornut, bishop of SensL 17. Revolt of the barons Color miniature depicting an elderly queen speaking to her son the king Blanche of Castile and Louis IX, detail of a miniature from the Moralized Bible of Toledo, 1240. In 1226, Blanche of Castile and her advisors took care of the case of some disgruntled lords. To reconcile Philippe Hurepel, half-brother of Louis VIII, his royal nephew gave him the castles of Mortain and Lillebonne as well as tribute from the county of Saint-Pol and a life annuity of six thousand livres tournesh. At the request of several lords, on Epiphany, January 6, 1227, Blanche, her son and their advisors also decided to release, in exchange for a ransom and his loyalty, Ferrand of Flanders who had betrayed Philippe Auguste during the battle of BouvinesL 18. Louis IX then made an effort towards the great lords who were too restless: he promised to marry his brother Jean to the daughter of Pierre Mauclerc, who offered him Angers, Le Mans, Baugé and Beaufort-en-Vallée as a pledge and promised to marry his brother Alphonse to a daughter of Hugues X of Lusignan as well as his sister Isabelle to one of his sons L 19. The most important effort was made towards the King of England Henry III and, in April 1227, a truce was concluded between the King of France and Richard of Cornwall, brother of the King of England. The following month, it was Henry III himself who asked Louis for an official truce. This takes effect on June 19. Thus, at the beginning of the summer of 1227, the young king was at the head of a pacified kingdom. However, the barons can no longer stand being led by a child and a foreign woman. Many lords gather in Corbeil and plan to kidnap the king in order to separate him from his mother and his advisors to rule in his name and take power, lands and wealth for themselves. At the head of this revolt were Philippe Hurepel, Count of Boulogne and uncle of the king, who agreed to become one of their leaders, but without conviction, and Pierre Mauclerc, Duke of Brittany, the most powerful of the vassals of the king of FranceL 20,i. The young king and the queen mother, returning from Vendôme, where they had gone to negotiate with the barons of the West, returned to Paris via Orléans, but their entire suite was blocked in Montlhéry by the assembled barons. Soon, the Parisians, to whom Blanche and her advisors had sent messages demanding their loyalty and support, took up arms, flew to the king's aid and brought him back in triumphL 21. Against this first revolt, the king was also supported by Count Ferrand of Flanders, released and remained faithful, and Thibaud IV of Champagne, with whom he was reconciled L 22. In 1228, the coalition of barons reformed. This time, the revolt, supported by Philippe Hurepel, was led by Enguerrand III de Coucy. The allies no longer directly attacked the king and his guardian, but rather Thibaud IV of Champagne, their most powerful supportL 22. This campaign began with the propagation of insulting rumors about Blanche: the barons accused her of emptying the Kingdom's coffers and of being the mistress of her advisor Romain Frangipani or even of Thibaut de ChampagneL 23. Fortunately for the king, the barons are unstable and impressed by royalty, even represented by a teenager. Some of them therefore move from rebellion to total obedienceL 24. But it was still necessary to resort to military operations and, in 1230, the young king, aged less than sixteen, took charge of the royal host. He went on campaign in the West, against Pierre Mauclerc, who had just paid homage to the King of England in October 1229, and his accomplices, then in Champagne to protect ThibaudL 24. The January campaign ends with the capture of Bellême and the recapture of Angers, Baugé and BeaufortL 25. On the advice of Romain Frangipani, the royal army also ravaged the fields, crops and possessions of Raymond VII of Toulouse, the latter being thus forced to make peace with the government of the KingdomL 26. In May, Henry III, called for help by Pierre Mauclerc, landed in Saint-Malo, but did not dare to initiate hostilities and locked himself in Nantes, without fighting. Louis took the lead of a new army and, thanks to the help of Hugues X de Lusignan, took Clisson, besieged Ancenis and razed the castle of La Haye-Pesnel, belonging to the rebel Fouques Pesnel. In the spring of 1231, he undertook a new campaign in the West and imposed a three-year truce on Pierre Mauclerc at Saint-Aubin-du-CormierL 25. In the meantime, Louis IX is in Champagne and the barons revolting against Thibaud do not dare attack the king; they thus abandon hostilitiesL 26. Victorious, Louis appears as a warrior king: the former allies, with the exception of Pierre Mauclerc who did not submit until November 1234, now obey him L 27, L 28. Engagement and marriage Miniature split into two parts: the first shows Louis and Marguerite of Provence kneeling before the bishop who marries them; the second represents Marguerite lying down and Saint Louis praying next to the marital bed. Celebration of the marriage of Louis and Marguerite. The king and queen practicing abstinence. Guillaume de Saint-Pathus, Life and miracles of Saint Louis, 1330-1340, BNF, Fr.5716. Louis IX was probably recognized as an adult in 1234, at the age of twenty, or even in 1235, at the age of twenty-oneL 29,d. Guillaume de Nangis made the marriage the consequence of a desire of the king, but according to Jacques Le Goff and Gérard Sivéry, the young king only conformed to the custom and the opinion of his mother and his advisors. 30,S 1. Marguerite, eldest of the four daughters of Raimond-Bérenger IV of Provence, is barely marriageable because she is only thirteen years old. Jean de Nesle and Gauthier Cornut were then named main negotiators of the marriage contract and, according to the chronicler Philippe Mouskes, Maurice de Sully, archbishop of Bourges, would also have taken charge of the first steps. In 1233, King Louis IX ordered the knight Gilles de Flagy, on a mission to Toulouse, to pass through the count's court of Provence, probably in order, according to Gérard Sivéry, to find out about the young princess whose perfection rumors praise. Louis and Marguerite are distant relatives, but on January 2, 1234, Pope Gregory IX relieved them of the impediment of marriage due to consanguinityL 31,k. On April 30, 1234, in Sisteron, the Count and Countess of Provence acknowledged owing a dowry of 8,000 silver marks, to be paid before November 1, 1239, and pledged the Château de Tarascon and its income to the King of France. . The answer is not long in coming; Jean de Nesle and Gauthier Cornut, responsible for fetching the bride in Provence and accompanying her to the wedding venue, had the king's promise of marriage drawn up in writing, who agreed to marry Marguerite before the Ascension, celebrated this year on June 1, L 31. On May 17, 1234, Raimond Bérenger completed the dowry with an additional 2,000 marks by designating Raimond Audibert, archbishop of Aix, guarantor towards his future son-in-law; the count then ceded the income from the castle of Aix as well as the bailiff of Aix held by Guillaume de Cottignac. But the considerable sum of 10,000 marks of silver exceeds the financial capacities of the count who will in fact only pay a fifth of it. On May 27, 1234, the marriage of Louis and Marguerite was celebrated in Sens Cathedral, by Gauthier le Cornu. The important people of the Kingdom are present and Louis's entourage includes his mother, his brothers Robert and Alphonse, his cousin Alphonse of Portugal, numerous nobles including the faithful Barthélemy de Roye and several ladies who follow MargueriteL 32. The ceremony takes place in two stages. The first phase, an outdoor ceremony in front of the church, begins with the joining of the hands of the engaged couple by William of Savoy, bishop of Valencia and uncle of Marguerite, symbolizing their consent, then the rings are exchanged and, finally, it ends with the blessing and censing of the spousesL 33. The second phase is essentially a mass during which several texts are read and sung. At the time of the invocation, the king receives a kiss from the archbishop which he will give to his young wife, thus promising her love and protection. Finally comes the blessing of the nuptial chamber, a rite emphasizing their duty to procreate L 35. The day after the wedding, May 28, 1234, the young Marguerite was crowned queenL 36. According to Guillaume de Saint-Pathus, confessor and confidant of Queen Marguerite of Provence, Saint Louis does not touch his wife during the wedding night; he spends his first three nights as a newlywed in prayer, thus respecting the three “nights of Tobit” recommended by the Church L 35. End of conflict with the King of England Detailed article: Conflict between Capetians and Plantagenêt. League of Poitevin lords Henry III of England, great adversary of Saint Louis and the French monarchy, did not give up recovering the territories that his predecessors owned in France as dukes of Aquitaine and Normandy, reconquered by Philip Augustus. He indeed contests the legitimacy of the confiscation of the fiefdoms of his father Jean Lackland in western France. But occupied by the English barons who had limited his power by wresting the Magna Carta from his father and by the allied French barons who asked him for help to emancipate themselves, Henry III never expressed his desire for reconquestL 37. In France, a new rebellion begins to come to life. First of all, Hugues Alphonse of France, but he was already engaged to Joan of Toulouse; in compensation, it was planned that Isabella of France would marry the future Hugues XI of Lusignan, but the latter married Yolande of Brittany in 1238, while Alphonse actually married his fiancée, JeanneL 28. In addition to this, when he came of age, in 1241, Alphonse received from his royal brother the county of Poitiers and Auvergne, in accordance with the will of their father. His new lands then absorbed the county of La Marche and Hugues Hugues The conflict broke out when Louis IX, pretexting the breakdown of the engagement, claimed Aunis and Saint-Jean-d'Angély, pledged to Hugues Hugues. Hugues Louis first tried in vain to get the count to reverse his decision and then presented his case to the court of peers of France, which ordered the confiscation of the rebel's domains. Immediately, he formed a league against Louis IX, to which most of the Poitevin barons adheredL 38,l. From the beginning of this coalition, the King of England was interested in it, but found himself held back by his commitments made during the truces of 1238L 39. After the dismissal of Hugues X, Henri III decided to take part in the coalition in order to assert his rights in FranceL 40. Saintonge War Main article: War of Saintonge. Miniature from the 14th century representing two troops of knights in armor confronting each other, one of whom is equipped and harnessed with the arms of France and the other with the arms of Normandy. Combat between the troops of Louis IX and Henri III. Chronicles of Saint-Denis, circa 1332-1350, BL, Royal 16 G VI. The Saintonge War lasted about a year, from April 28, 1242 to April 7, 1243. According to Jacques Le Goff, it took place in three phases: from April 28 to July 20, 1242, it was a siege war during which Louis only fought with the Count de la Marche and his allies; from July 21 to August 4, 1242, the royal army defeated the English in front of Saintes and pushed them back to Blaye; and finally, from August 4, 1242 to April 7, 1243, the war was directed against the Count of Toulouse, then ended with a truce between Henry of England and Saint LouisL 40. Battle of Taillebourg Main article: Battle of Taillebourg. 19th century color engraving depicting knights, one of whom is crowned, charging at infantrymen. The battle of Taillebourg, colorized engraving taken from a History of the French Army by Paul Lehugeur, 1880. On April 28, 1242, Louis summoned the royal host to Chinon. On May 4, in Poitiers, he launched the start of the campaign: he was at the head of 1,000 chariots, 4,000 knights and 20,000 squires, sergeants and crossbowmen. His army besieged and successively took the rebel castles of Montreuil, Béruges, Fontenay, Prez, Saint-Gelais, Tonnay-Boutonne, Matus, Thoré and Saint-AffaireL 40. Henry III left Portsmouth on May 9 and landed at Royan on the 13th. On June 16, he declared war on Louis while the latter completed the conquest of Poitou. On July 20, the French arrived in front of Taillebourg. The next day, the enemies found themselves face to face, but were separated by the Charente. The rebellious English and Poitevins attempted to join the French by the stone bridge linking Taillebourg to Saintes, but were quickly repelled by the troops of Saint Louis who led them to flee hastily towards Saintes. The next day, July 22, Louis and his army crossed the Charente and the battle began in front of SaintesL 41. According to Guillaume de Nangis, the battle lasted a very long time, but the English could not endure the French attacks and began to flee. The French pursued them and took a large number of them prisoners. The King of England fled to Saintes, from where he fled again at nightfall with Hugues X and their troops. Finally, the next morning, July 24, the keys to the city were handed over to Louis by the citizens of SaintesL 42. Henry III retreated to Pons, but on July 25, Renaud, lord of Pons, submitted to Louis IX who arrived from Colombières. The next day, Hugues X submitted to his tourm. The King of England then took refuge in Barbezieux from where he escaped during the night of July 26 to 27. He then joined Blaye, but had to leave for Bordeaux on August 4, ahead of the advance of the King of France L 43. Louis IX lost relatively few men during the campaign, but had to face an epidemic of dysentery which decimated his army. Louis also has it but recovers quickly. Although weakened, he returned to Paris in August 1242L 44. Submission of the Count of Toulouse and the truce For his part, Raymond VII of Toulouse, who nevertheless renewed his homage to Louis in 1241, allied himself with the coalition of the Poitevin barons and the king of England L 44. He joined Henry III in Blaye at the end of July, had Narbonne handed over to him on August 17, 1242, by Viscount Aimery, captured Albi and proclaimed the return of the two cities among his possessions L 45. Saint Louis, who had just won the battle of Taillebourg, sent two armies to Languedoc. The Count of Foix then immediately released the Count of Toulouse and Louis released him from his vassalage to the latter. On October 20, Raymond VII was forced to ask for forgiveness from the King of France, who granted it in exchange for his renunciation of Narbonne and Albi as well as promises to fight heresy and fulfill his crusade vowL 46. Between October and November 1242, Henry III tried one last time to assert his rights by organizing the blockade of La Rochelle by sea. But his blockade failed, as did the reconstitution of his army and his alliances. In January 1243, he sent a letter to Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, to whom he had made a request for an alliance in June 1242, announcing the end of his hopes. And finally, on Mars 12, 1243, he was forced to ask Louis for a truce for five yearsL 44,L 47. In 1253 and 1254, Louis IX authorized Henry III to go to France to visit the abbey of Fontevraud, the necropolis of his ancestors, that of Pontigny, where rest the relics of Saint Edmund, whom he had forced into exile, as well as Chartres Cathedral. On this occasion, Louis invited Henri III, who was also his brother-in-law, to Paris, where they celebrated Christmas together. A strong friendship was born between the two kings to the point that, some time later, Louis gave Henry an elephant which had been given to him by the Sultan of Egypt. From that year, Henry requested the renewal of the truces, which Louis willingly granted him L 47. The peace treaty Manuscript in old French, sealed with the seal of Henry III in green wax on red and green silk cords. Treaty of Paris, 1259, National Archives of France. Main article: Treaty of Paris (1259). In 1257, the King of England sent the Bishop of Winchester to Louis IX whose mission was to propose to the King of France the substitution of a real treaty for the truces that had been signed. And, although Henry refuses to give up his rights to his ancestors' territories in France, the two kings intend to achieve peace. The negotiations were long and laborious, but finally, on May 28, 1258, Henri III Plantagenêt and Louis IX signed the Treaty of ParisL 48. By signing the treaty, Louis and Henry put an end to the conflict between Capetians and Plantagenets concerning the lands conquered by Philip Augustus. By this text, Henry III renounces his claims concerning Normandy, Anjou, Touraine, Maine and Poitou and Louis IX gives him the sum necessary to support 500 knights for two years as well as the revenues of Agenais and his domains in the dioceses of Limoges, Cahors and PérigueuxL 49,n. On February 10, 1259, the treaty was first ratified by Richard of Cornwall. On February 17, it was ratified at Westminster by attorneys, in the name of the king, and, on December 4, Simon V of Montfort and Eleanor of England also ratified it. Finally, arriving in France on November 14, Henry III paid homage to Louis on December 4, 1259L 50. Expansion of the royal domain First of all, by his will of 1225, Louis VIII the Lion requested the transfer of approximately a third of the royal domain in favor of his younger sons: the second, Robert, received Artois; the third, Alphonse, Poitou and Auvergne, and the fourth, Charles, Anjou and Maine4. Having become king, Louis IX respected this wish, which he executed as his own decision: when his brothers reached the age of twenty, he knighted them and gave them their prerogative. The royal domain is therefore significantly reduced, but this policy does not cause the dismemberment of the Kingdom. It is, on the contrary, the means of avoiding conflicts between the four brothers. In addition, Louis insists on the conditions of possession of the appanage, which must return to the royal domain in the event that its holder dies without an heir, which will be the case of Alphonse in 1271L 51. During his reign, King Louis VIII put an end to the hopes of hegemony of Count Raymond VII of Toulouse, subjugated during the Albigensian Crusade. In Mars 1229, Blanche and Louis IX convened a conference in Meaux. Raymond VII went there as a pilgrim, accompanied by his main vassals, and signed the Treaty of Meaux-Paris on April 12, 1229. He was then forced to swear allegiance to the young king of France and lost almost half of his territory, mainly the former viscounties of Raimond II Trencavel: the seneschals of Beaucaire and Carcassonne, conquered on the ground since 12265, joined the Domain , while the Marquisate of Provence was ceded to the Holy See. The count was also forced to found a university in Toulouse. Finally, the treaty provides for the marriage of Jeanne de Toulouse, Raymond's only heir, with Alphonse de Poitiers, which allows, in the more or less short term, to attach the remaining territories of the county of Toulouse to the royal domain: the couple dying without children, these domains passed directly and definitively under royal administration in 12716, under Philip III the Bold7. By the Treaty of Corbeil signed on May 12, 1258 between the representatives of James I of Aragon and those of Louis IX, the latter renounced French claims on the ancient march of Spain, and in particular on Catalonia, Cerdanya and Roussillon, while Aragon gives up its rights in Provence and Languedoco in exchange. The border of the Kingdom of France is then outlined to the south of the Corbières. On the French side, the border is protected by the fortresses of Termes, Aguilar, Niort, Quéribus, Peyrepertuse and Puilaurens while Salces, Opoul and Perpignan defend the Catalan border8. Finally, as we have already seen, Henry III of England renounced by the Treaty of Paris (1259) his claims to Normandy, Anjou, Touraine, Maine and Poitou while Louis returned to the latter part of the lands of Limousin and Quercy in Saintonge, of which it is not certain that the conquest was legitimately founded9. Justicar king and diplomat As a Christian king, Louis IX must uphold two ideals supposed to bring him and his subjects eternal salvation: first justice, then peace. It is intended to be in the image of King Solomon dispensing justice under an oak tree, notably in the park of the Château de Vincennes (an image which has been transmitted from generation to generation through the image we have of this king )10. He therefore strives to bring peace to the affairs in which he is involved and tries to eliminate the subjects of conflict to establish it for as long as possible. His prestige made him the preferred recourse of adversaries seeking arbitration and his action would extend throughout Christendom, of which he would become the appeaserL 52. Said of Amiens 19th century painting in neoclassical style. Saint Louis mediator between the king of England and his barons, Georges Rouget, 1820, Palace of Versailles. Detailed articles: Said of Amiens, Provisions of Oxford and Provisions of Westminster. In England, the aristocracy revolted to restrict and control the power of the king. These revolts resulted in the Magna Carta in 1215, then the Oxford Provisions in 1258 and, finally, the Westminster Provisions in 1259H 1. The opposition was then led by Simon V de Montfort, Henry IIIL 53's own brother-in-law. The documents go through a long series of revocations and reinstatementsH 1: the king notably succeeds in being relieved of his oath to respect the provisions of Oxford by popes Alexander IV then Urban IV, but the English barons do not accept the pontifical decision. Thus in December 1263, Henry III and his barons requested arbitration from Louis IX, whose decision they promised to respect L 54. Louis delivered his verdict, the “Dit of Amiens”, on January 23, 1264: he first ratified the papal bull canceling the provisions of Oxford and declared, as a firm supporter of the royal prerogative, that Henri Plantagenêt must recover the fullness of power and its sovereignty. The arbitration is then considered as a judgment rendered by Louis IX, as lord of the King of England and therefore as overlord of the English barons, considered as his rear-vassalsL 54. Flanders affair Detailed article: War of Succession of Flanders and Hainaut. Marguerite II of Flanders is at war with the sons from her first marriage with Bouchard d'Avesnes, whom she disadvantages in favor of the sons from her second marriage with Guillaume II de Dampierre. Thus begins the conflict between the Avesnes, who highlight their birthright, and the Dampierres, who deny the inheritance of their half-brothers, considered illegitimate sons due to the annulment of their parents' marriageL 55 . Louis is called upon several times to intervene, either on the initiative of one or the other party, or on his own initiative, as overlord. In 1235, he provided for an unequal distribution of land: two sevenths in Avesnes and five sevenths in DampierreL 55, p. In 1246, with the aim of pacifying the Kingdom before leaving on a crusade, Louis IX and Eudes de Châteauroux reached an agreement between the two parties: Hainaut now belonged to the Avesnes and Flanders to the Dampierre. William III of Dampierre went on a crusade with Louis, returned in 1250, but died accidentally the following year. His mother then recognized his younger brother, Gui de Dampierre, as his successor. And if the Roman curia finally recognized the legitimacy of the Avesnes, Marguerite still refused Jean d'Avesnes the title of count of Hainaut and left him only the marquisate of NamurL 56. After having tried in vain to seize the islands of Zealand, in July 1253, under the leadership of their mother, the Dampierre sons, accompanied by several French barons, were taken prisoner by William of the Holy Roman Empire. Marguerite then appealed to the brother of the King of France, Charles of Anjou, to whom she promised Hainaut, thus ignoring the rights of the Avesnes. Charles accepts, occupies Valenciennes and Mons and narrowly avoids an armed conflict with the king of the RomansL 56. On his return from the crusade, Louis IX took his brother's initiative very badly and intervened: he recalled the latter to Paris and, by the “Dit de Péronne” of September 24, 1256, he confirmed the agreement signed in 1246. However, to take into account the donation of the county of Hainaut to Charles, Marguerite bought it from him at a very high price. She also had to pay a large ransom to the Count of Holland for the release of the Dampierres, and, shortly after, was reconciled with her son Baudoin d'AvesnesL 57. Conflict between Frederick II and Innocent IV Miniature depicting Louis IX kneeling before the Pope. Interview with Saint Louis and Pope Innocent IV, Grandes Chroniques de France de Charles V, BNF, Fr.2813. While two of the greatest powers in the West, Emperor Frederick II of the Holy Roman Empire and the Pope, were at war, Louis IX maintained strict neutrality in this conflictL 58. The most powerful monarch in Christendom, he gives to everyone what he thinks is due to him: a deep and obedient respect to the pope and a formal recognition of his symbolic pre-eminence to the emperor. But he requires them to respect his temporal independence and refuses, for the first as for the second, that they intervene in matters falling under his authorityL 59. In 1240, when the pope wanted to dethrone the emperor, Louis refused to allow him to offer the crown of Germany to Robert of Artois. But on May 3, 1241, a Genoese fleet bringing the prelates to the council convened by Pope Gregory IX was defeated by a Pisan fleet in the service of Frederick. Among them, several archbishops, bishops and abbots are presentL 59. Louis IX, convinced of the benevolence of the emperor, sent the abbot of Corbie and the knight Gervais d'Escrenne to him to request their release. Frederick, who had previously asked the king to prevent the French prelates from going to the council, replied to Louis that he should not be surprised if “Caesar held tightly and in anguish those who had come to put Caesar in anguish” . The king of France then sent the abbot of Cluny to the emperor with a letter declaring that “the kingdom of France is not yet so weakened that it allows itself to be led to [its] spurs” L 60. The declaration immediately caused Frederick II to back down and, for fear of angering King Louis IX, decided to release the prelates of the KingdomL 61. In August 1241, Pope Gregory IX died and his successor, Celestine IV, died after twelve days of pontificate. Finally, in June 1243, Pope Innocent IV succeeded them and the conflict with Frederick grew. The pope sends a letter to Louis asking him for asylum, in order to be safe from the emperor's attacks L 62. However, Louis IX replied, in a very respectful manner, that his barons had advised him not to accept his request, in order to maintain the necessary neutrality. Innocent IV then went into exile in Lyon, a quasi-independent city under the influence of France. On December 27, 1244, the pope called a council at Lyon, summoned the emperor to appear and hear the sentence, and invited Louis to attend. But Louis, preferring not to commit himself, refused the invitation and proposed to the pope an interview at Cluny in the hope of preparing a reconciliation between him and the emperorL 63. During the interview, the pope reinforces his support for the king's crusade, but refuses any gesture of reconciliation with the emperorL 64. Louis IX attempted, without success, in 1246, a new intervention with the pope in favor of Frederick II. But, in 1247, he learned that the emperor was gathering a large army to march on Lyon where the pope still resided. He then sent considerable troops to defend the sovereign pontiff and Frederick II, who had advanced to the Alps, turned back towards Parma. However, after this, Louis continued to remain neutral in the conflict and his relations with the emperor remained cordialL 64. Louis IX and the Mongols Related article: Franco-Mongol alliances. From 1245, Christianity had the hope of converting the great Khan to Christianity, or, at least, of leading him to ally himself with the Christians against the Muslims. This is how Pope Innocent IV sent three missions in search of the Great Khan Güyük. The Dominicans André de Longjumeau, Ascelin de Lombardie and Simon de Saint-Quentin were sent from the Holy Land while the Franciscan Jean de Plan Carpin passed through Bohemia, Poland and the lower Volga, to the Khan whose inductionL 65. Saint Louis took a close interest in these expeditionsL 66. In 1248, while staying in Cyprus, the King of France was approached by envoys from Eljigidei, a Mongol commander based in Armenia and Persia11. Eljigidei warns Louis "that Güyük Khan is ready to help him conquer the Holy Land and deliver Jerusalem from the hands of the Saracens" and suggests that he land in Egypt, while he attacks Baghdad, to prevent the Saracens of Egypt and those of Syria join forces12,L 66. The king then sent two preachers to the Great Khan, including André de Longjumeau, as well as a very luxurious scarlet tent as a chapel, containing “images” showing the essentials of the Christian faithL 66. However, Güyük died before the arrival of the ambassador, and nothing concrete resulted; Queen Oghul Qaïmich, now regent, politely declined the offer12. In 1249, Louis learned that Khan Sartaq had converted to Christianity and was baptized. He then sent him the Franciscan Guillaume de Rubrouck, but not as an official ambassador in order to avoid further humiliation. Sartaq is in reality Christian in name only, but allows the Franciscan to go to the Great Khan Möngke (1251-1259), in Karakorum. Rubrouck, however, returned to Cyprus in 1255, without successL 67. In 1259, Berke, the leader of the Golden Horde, demanded the submission of the king of France13. On the other hand, on April 10, 1262, the latter received a letter from Ilkhan Hülegü who asked him for peace and helpL 67. Presenting himself as the "destroyer of the perfidious Saracen nations", he insists on his benevolence towards the Christians in his empire and announces that he has freed them all from prison or slavery in the countries he has subjugated. Having no ship, he asked Louis to lend him one in order to attack Egypt and promised to restore the kingdom of Jerusalem to the Christians. But, in this letter, Hülegü, who did not understand that the pope is only a spiritual leader and that the most powerful king in Christendom is in fact the king of France, reminds Saint Louis of the sovereignty of Great Khan over the whole world. For this reason, the king of France refused to respond to his request and sent the embassy to Rome, where the papacy continued the conversations for several years, which ultimately never came to fruition L 68. Kingdom Reforms Situated between the reign of his grandfather Philippe Auguste and that of his grandson Philippe le Bel, Saint Louis is the man who transformed France from a feudal monarchy to a modern monarchy. This is no longer based on the personal relationships of the king with his vassals, but on the relationships of the king as head of the Crown with his “subjects”. He is no longer just suzerain but sovereign. This transition to a modern State is taking place, according to Jacques Le Goff, “according to transitional forms, gradually, avoiding any institutional trauma”14. Judicial reforms Neo-classical style painting representing Louis IX seated under an oak tree among supplicants. Saint Louis rendering justice under the oak of Vincennes, Pierre-Narcisse Guérin, 1816, Angers Museum of Fine Arts. In the ordinance of 1245, the king instituted “quarantine-the-king”. In this order, he orders a truce of at least forty days from the date on which a subject of discord arises between two parties, in order to limit private wars, now prohibited. Thus, all revenge is prohibited until the deadline expires, allowing tensions to ease L 69.15. In 1247, he dispatched royal investigators whose mission was to inform him of the state of the country and to repress directly in the areas of justice, administration, taxation and the army. Bailiffs and provosts were also introduced in France, the latter then ceased to be itinerant inspectors and became administrators appointed and paid by the king, who exercised their functions in around twenty distinct districts which now divided the immense kingdom of Franceq. Recruited from the local gentry or the bourgeoisie, these officers are forced to respect strict management rules, set by the ordinance of 125415,16,Na 1. The royal officers are also monitored by investigators whose mission is to set the limits of each and to transmit in writing all complaints to the king's court, which begins to be divided into precise sections: the Council, which deals with matters policies; the Curia in parliamento, which rose to the rank of parliament and the Curia in compotis, ancestor of the Court of Auditors, which he installed in the Temple tower17. As early as December 1254, Louis IX promulgated the “Great Ordinance”, also called statutum generale, statuta sancti Ludovici or “establishment of the king”, which tended to reform the royal government in depth L 70. It is, in fact, the grouping of several royal texts promulgated between July and December 1254. Most of these texts abolish measures taken by the royal seneschals, in violation of ancient local customs L 71. These texts also order royal officers to administer justice without distinction of persons and to refuse any gift for themselves or their family. They will not be able to raise any fine without trial, will have to consider that any accused not convicted is presumed innocent, and they will henceforth be prohibited from preventing the transport of wheat, a measure intended to combat famine. In December, he added a series of measures concerning pure morality: blasphemy16, gambling, interest-bearing loansLM 1 and frequenting brothels as well as taverns were forbidden to royal officersL 72.15. But the ordinances do not only affect royal officers. In order to lead his subjects to salvation, the king prohibits prostitution, punishes blasphemy, prohibits games of dice and their manufacture as well as games of chess, checkers and “backgammon”, doubly condemnable as games money and chance. Finally, taverns were reserved for travelers and prohibited to the populationL 73. The “Great Ordinance” was taken up again in 1256. The new text presents several differences with those of 1254. The ordinance of 1256 results from the modification of the texts of 1254, which were rather instructions to bailiffs and seneschals, into a general ordinance for the KingdomL 74. In this new royal decree, Louis removes any reference to the use of torture and notably returns to the strict ban on prostitutionL 75. The rights of women over their inheritances and dowries must be particularly respected: women being considered weak beings, it is up to royal justice to protect them. Louis thus refuses to allow a woman to be punished for the faults of her husbandL 76. In 1261, in accordance with the Fourth Lateran Council, a new royal decree abolished the ordeal. Trials by fire and water from which the accused must emerge unscathed or battles from which he must emerge victorious must now be replaced by rational or testimonial proofs L 77. Monetary reforms Silver coin stamped with the words “+ LVDOVICVS. REX + BNDICTV: SIT: NAME: DHI: nRI: DEI: IhV. XPI. » Big tournaments, obverse and reverse, under Louis IX. At the end of his reign, between 1262 and 1270, Louis IX implemented important monetary reforms. They first respond to economic developments and the spread of the monetary economy. The reforms begin with an ordinance which prohibits counterfeiting royal currency and which establishes a monopoly on its circulation in the Kingdom, with the exception of the coins of lords having received authorization, which can circulate, but only on their own. earthL 78. Then two ordinances prohibited the use of "esterlins", English currency: the first, published between 1262 and 1265, required that the king's subjects promise not to use esterlins, and that of 1265 fixed mid-August of 1266 the deadline for their circulationL 79. In 1265, a new ordinance took up that of 1262 and confirmed the privilege of the royal currency to circulate throughout the Kingdom, but authorized regional currencies. In July 1266, an order decreed the resumption of the minting of the Paris denier under new conditions of weight and fine metal content as well as the creation of a large tournament. Finally, between 1266 and 1270, another order decreed the creation of the écuL 79. The Parisian denier and the golden shield were rather failures, but the big tournament was a great success in France but also on the international market, and its success continued until the 14th century. Regulation of prostitution In the Middle Ages, those responsible for public order, municipalities, secular or ecclesiastical lords, organized prostitution from the 12th century as a lesser evil. There are even brothels that are owned by monasteries or chapters18. But as we saw previously, upon his return from the Holy Land, Louis wanted to restore order in the Kingdom. This is how he completely prohibited prostitution in his ordinance of 1254. All women and girls engaging in prostitution are called upon to give it up19. They are expelled from the towns, far from churches and cemeteries, and anyone who provides them with a house has a year's rent confiscated. If, after a warning, they continue on this path, the order provides that their clothes will be confiscated and that their house will be seized and then sold for the benefit of the tax authorities. In the event of a repeat offense, the ordinance envisages that they will be banned from towns and villages, or even from the kingdom19. At the same time, the king took from his coffers the necessary funds to allow the convent of the Filles-Dieu, specially intended for the reception of repentant girls, to receive two hundred additional people19. But experience proves to the sovereign that the ordinance is useless. Pursued, the prostitutes change their appearance to take on that of “honest women”, which also exposes them to insults from libertines. In 1256, in a second order which in some way revoked the first, the king allowed prostitutes to practice, but outside the city walls and far from places of worship. Specialized establishments are then set up far from private homes. They are only open during the day, until six in the evening, so that women do not go there at night so as not to be recognized19. According to Jacques Le Goff, it is “the sketch of prostitution ghettos” L 75. King builder and patron 17th century engraving showing an overall view of the Château de Tours. The castle of Tours in the Middle Ages. Engraving from Claude Chastillon's French Topography, 1644-1648. Under the reign of Louis IX, the great cathedrals were under construction, barely completed or undergoing major remodeling. This is how he witnessed the construction of the cathedrals of Chartres, Amiens, Reims, Rouen, Beauvais, Auxerre and Notre-Dame de ParisL 81. The king financed and ordered the construction of numerous convents, churches and abbeys, but his role in each foundation is little known. According to Robert Branner, Parisian architecture, under the influence of Louis IX, became “a sophisticated art” which he called the “court style”. Paris then became an artistic capital with elegant architecture and workshops for illuminated manuscripts, ivory, embroidery, tapestries, jewelry, precious stones and liturgical objects. In addition to civil architecture, the king favored military architecture - with, for example, the ramparts of Aigues-Mortes and Jaffa -, domestic - with in particular the castle of Tours - and religious L 83: Sacred buildings Contemporary photograph of a cloister and its garden. Royaumont Abbey. In his will, Louis VIII left a large sum to found a monastery near ParisL 84. To build this abbey, Louis and his mother chose a place near Asnières-sur-Oise, where they resided from time to time, and acquired the Cuimont estate, renamed to be called Royaumont ("mount royal"), a name which symbolizes the close link between the royal family and the future abbeyL 85. It was then that, in the first years of his reign, between 1229 and 1234, Louis, advised by Blanche of Castile, founded the abbey and attributed it to the Cistercian order, contrary to the instructions of the late king. who wanted it to be affiliated with the canons of Saint-VictorL 84. Detailed article: Royaumont Abbey. The foundation of Royaumont, built between 1228 and 1235, foreshadows Louis's emerging attraction to the mendicant orders22, to which the Cistercians were close, and increased his early taste for religious buildings. It is also an opportunity for the young king to demonstrate humility and penitence: throughout the construction period, he carefully monitors the progress of the work and actively participates in the life of the site by helping the craftsmen, going so far as to 'to carry stones and mortarL 86,H 2. Detailed article: Maubuisson Abbey. Contemporary photograph of the main buildings of an abbey. Maubuisson Abbey. A few years later, in 1241, Blanche of Castile had the abbey of the Ladies of MaubuissonL 82 built not far from there, in Saint-Ouen-l'Aumône. Main article: Basilica of Saint-Denis. From 1231, at the request of Louis IX, large-scale work was carried out in the abbey church of Saint-DenisL 82. Initiated under Abbot Eudes Clément (1228-1245), the work connects the apse and the narthex of the Suger church to the broader plan of the new building. And in 1267, Louis IX inaugurated the new sepulchral complex intended to seal the continuity of the three Frankish royal dynastiesL 87. Sorbonne Colorized engraving showing the Sorbonne buildings within their district. The Sorbonne before its reconstruction by Richelieu, lithograph around 1850. Detailed article: College of Sorbonne. In 1253, Louis IX co-founded the college of Sorbonne, for masters of arts studying theology, at the request of Robert de Sorbon, his chaplain, confessor and friend. Like the other colleges of the University of Paris, that of Sorbon must accommodate poor boarders who have scholarships, as well as non-boarding students. When it was created, the college was intended to house around twenty people. To this end, Louis donated a few houses on rue Coupe-Gueule, opposite the Hôtel de Cluny, to accommodate the students. Robert de Sorbon, through Guillaume de Chartres, quickly bought and exchanged the entire area around this street, the majority of the site belonging to him from 1260. It is then a scattered group of various buildings, houses and barns, arranged in a garden. The great simplicity of the building is maintained by the founder, Robert de Sorbon, who established a rule of pious and austere lifeH 3. Hospices Reproduction of an engraving. The Quinze-Vingt in 1567, postcard from 1900. Detailed article: Quinze-Vingts Hospital. Louis IX founded, near the Porte Saint-Honoré, the Quinze-Vingts hospice, with the aim of caring for the destitute blind people of ParisW 1. The date of its construction is unknown: only a bull of July 23, 1260 specifies that the foundation was completed in June. The Quinze-Vingts then functioned as a congregation and the management, rather “democratic”, was reminiscent of that of the mendicant orders. From its foundation, the hospice benefited from numerous privileges granted by the king and the ecclesiastical authorities: Louis IX notably granted it an annuity of 30 livres Parisis, intended for feeding the blind W 2. In return, each of the residents must pray as often as possible for the king, the queen, the royal family and all the benefactors and, after their death, their property is given to the community. The work of the blind people of the Quinze-Vingts is then mainly the quest: the quest for money, the entire amount of which is given to the community, and the quest for bread, the product of which is shared equitably between the beggar and the master. from the hospitalW 3. According to Zina Weygand, by providing support to the blind, Louis IX demonstrated, for the first time in History, the responsibility of the monarchy towards the infirm and "laid the first milestones for the care by the State of a social problem hitherto left to the Church and the generosity of individuals” W 4. Around 1248, the king had the Hôtel-Dieu in Paris restored by Eudes de Montreuil and charged Blanche of Castile with monitoring its progress. During this same period, he participated in the founding of the “Audriettes” hotel, intended to accommodate widowed and destitute women V 1. Around 1259, Louis founded the Hôtel-Dieu de Pontoise and placed thirteen Augustinian nuns there, but the generosity of the sisters towards the poor and the sick attracted such a crowd that in 1261, the king found it necessary to bequeath them his own country house and the woods of Pontoise, in order to be able to support as many nuns as necessaryV 2. He also spent 30,000 pounds to found the Hôtel-Dieu in Vernon, in which he placed twenty-five nunsV 3. Fortifications Contemporary photograph of the ramparts seen from the arenas. The ramparts of Aigues-Mortes. Contemporary photograph of ramparts partially covered with vegetation. The walls of Caesarea. First of all, at the beginning of the 1230s, with the attachment of Anjou to the royal domain, Blanche and Louis built the fortress of Angers and amply fortified the city, which had become a border place facing independent Brittany23. Around 1240, in view of the Seventh Crusade, Louis IX decided to fortify Aigues-Mortes to ensure a safe naval base for departure and return, as well as a port to be able to build the royal fleet. The place was then preferred to Narbonne and Montpellier, politically dangerous, because of its attachment to the count's dynasty of Toulouse for the first and to that of Aragon for the second, as well as to external ports, such as Marseille, of where many crusaders embarked, or even Genoa, a former crusade port under Philip Augustus. Aigues-Mortes thus becomes “the head and terminus of the iter hierosolymitanum (“the road to Jerusalem”)”. According to Le Goff, it is one of the most remarkable urban achievements of medieval FranceL 88. The king also built a road between the marshes and built the Carbonnière tower, intended to serve as a watchtower, then the Constance tower which sheltered the garrison and served successively as a lighthouse and a prison24. In 1250, freed from his captivity in Egypt, the king arrived in Jaffa with his wife. He stayed in Caesarea from Mars 1251 to May 1252 and had the city walls rebuilt or even built25. In 1252, he also strengthened the walls of Jaffa and built a convent and a church there. Finally, he raised the fortifications of Ascalon26. Influence of the Church Sainte-Chapelle and the relics of the Passion Acquisition of the Holy Relics Miniature representing Louis IX and four followers receiving relics from a group of monks. Louis IX receiving the Holy Relics, Chronicles of Saint-Denis, circa 1332-1350, BL, Royal 16 G VI, fo 395. Detailed article: Relics of the Sainte-Chapelle. In 13th-century Christianity, the possession of remarkable relics was considered evidence of great devotion as well as the source of great prestige. However, in 1237, Baldwin II of Courtenay, Latin emperor of Constantinople, came to France to ask for help from his cousin, Louis IX, against the Greeks. During his stay with Saint Louis, he learned that the Latin barons of Constantinople, lacking money, wished to sell the crown of Christ to foreigners. This being the most precious of the relics kept in Constantinople, Baldwin begged Louis and Blanche of Castile to prevent the Holy Crown from falling into foreign hands. The idea of ​​acquiring the famous relic fulfills piety and flatters the glory of the king and his motherL 91. From Paris, Baldwin II sent an emissary with a letter ordering that the crown be given to the envoys that Louis sent on his side, namely two Dominicans, Jacques and André, the first of whom was prior of the order of Preachers in Constantinople and could therefore recognize the authenticity of the relicL 92. When Baldwin and Louis's envoys arrived at their destination, they learned that the need for money had become so urgent that the barons had borrowed from Venetian merchants and pledged the crown of thorns to them. And, if the crown is not redeemed before the feast of Saints Gervais and Protais, i.e. June 18, it will belong to the Venetians and will be transferred to the city of the lagoon. But, unexpectedly, the envoys of Baudouin and Louis arrived before the fateful date and they began negotiations with the Venetians who agreed to sell the relic to the King of France on the condition that it passed through VeniceL 93. The negotiations ended in December 1238. Although winter was hostile to navigation and the Greeks had placed galleys on possible routes to seize the relic, it set sail. It arrived safely in Venice, where it was exhibited in the Saint-Marc chapel. Brother André remains in Venice to monitor the crown, while brother Jacques goes to announce the news to Louis and Blanche, then returns to Venice with the colossal sum of the purchase, the amount of which we do not know, accompanied by Baudouin's men, guarantors of the operation. New negotiations took place and the Venetians, who did not dare oppose the will of Louis and Baldwin, reluctantly let the relic go. Transport to France is done, this time, by land. To ensure their safety, the conveyors are provided with a safe conduct certificate from Frederick II of the Holy Roman Empire, the highest legal guarantee in ChristendomL 94. The crown is finally close to its buyer and is deposited in Villeneuve-l'Archevêque where the king rushes to see it, accompanied by his mother, his brothers, Gauthier Cornut and Bernard de Sully as well as numerous barons and knights. 95. The next day, the crown was transported by boat on the Yonne and the Seine to Vincennes. The shrine containing the relic is then displayed on a large scaffold to be seen by all the peopleL 96. Then the shrine arrives in the capital, carried by Louis and his brother Robert, barefoot, followed by prelates, clerics, monks and knights, also barefoot. The relic is placed for a few moments in Notre-Dame Cathedral. Finally, the relic arrives at the end of its journey and is placed in the Saint-Nicolas chapel of the Palais de la Cité. As Emperor Baudouin's need for money increased, Louis purchased other relics of the Passion from him at great expense. In 1241, he acquired a significant part of the True Cross, the Holy Sponge and the iron of the Holy LanceL 97. Construction of the Sainte-Chapelle Contemporary photograph of the east stained glass windows of the Sainte-Chapelle, predominantly blue. Interior of the Sainte-Chapelle. Main article: Sainte-Chapelle. Painted stone statue in the middle of a Gothic decor. Statue of Saint Louis in the Sainte-Chapelle. Saint Louis considers that the palatine chapel of Saint-Nicolas is far too modest for the treasures he has just acquired. The king then had a new chapel built which, according to Louis Grodecki, served as a “monumental reliquary” and a “royal sanctuary” L 98. According to Jean-Michel Leniaud, the choice of locating the Sainte-Chapelle in the royal palace is not insignificant: it affirms the link between the king and the sacred, as the Byzantine and Germanic emperors did. This proximity also has a judicial role, it is on the relics that we now take the oath in procedures between lords and vassalsLP 1. Indeed, according to Jacques Le Goff, Louis IX never misses an opportunity to associate the glory of the king with that of GodL 98. The shape of the Sainte-Chapelle is then inspired by that of the episcopal chapels of Laon, Paris, Noyon and especially the archbishopric of ReimsLP 2. Louis IX wanting to have a quiet place of prayer, the chapel was not suitable for welcoming crowds of pilgrims: it had neither an ambulatory nor a royal gallery because on ordinary days, only the clergy, the royal family and their guests have access to the chapelLP 3. The Upper Chapel of the Sainte-Chapelle In May 1243, Pope Innocent IV granted privileges to the future chapel. In January 1246, the king founded a college of canons to ensure the custody of relics and the celebration of worshipL 98. On April 26, 1248, two months before the king's departure for the crusade, he inaugurated the Sainte-Chapelle, which was at the same time consecrated by Eudes de Châteauroux and Philippe BerruyerH 4. The construction of the Sainte-Chapelle was therefore carried out in record time and would have cost, according to the investigation into the canonization process of Saint Louis, 40,000 tournament pounds and the shrine of the relics 100,000. The king would have been very present on the construction site and would have worked in close collaboration with his architectLP 4, however, according to Jacques Le Goff, the names of the main architect and his assistants are unknownL 98, although Jean-Michel Leniaud and Françoise Perrot specifies that oral tradition as well as a manuscript from the National Library of France, dating back to the 16th century, evoke Pierre de MontreuilLP 4. The architectural program is accompanied by numerous symbols which are manifested both in the content of the reliquary and in the decoration of the upper chapel: we can note the relics coming from the Byzantine Empire, which allowed the Capetian monarchy to flourish. to display as a true heir of the imperial idea or even the particular cult of Louis IX for the Passion, conveying an image of him walking in the footsteps of ChristLP 5. Montségur and the Cathars Contemporary aerial photograph of the ruins of a castle built on an eminence. The ruins of Montségur. Related article: Albigensian Crusade. Louis's conception of his royal function as secular arm of the Church and protector of the faith led him, as his ancestors had done before him, to intervene against the enemies of this faith. And if, after the death of Louis VIII in 1226, the Treaty of Paris of April 12, 1229 seemed to put an end to the crusade against the Albigensians, the latter were still very present, more particularly in Languedoc, Provence and Lombardy. They were, however, less visible and less numerous after 1230, under the effects of the Inquisition, the lack of interest in them on the part of the nobles and the bourgeoisie and the general running out of steam in their doctrine, practice and practice. their organizationL 99. To decide on the measures to be taken with regard to them, the king surrounded himself with a council made up of inquisitors, belonging mainly to the mendicant brothers, and converted hereticsL 100. The will of Saint Louis is then to purify the Kingdom not by fire, although he accepts the decisions of condemnation to the stake, but by conversion and expulsionL 101. However, following the assassination of inquisitors in Avignonet on May 20, 1242 by men from the garrison of Montségur, Blanche of Castile and Louis IX charged the seneschal of Carcassonne and Pierre Amiel, archbishop of Narbonne, to besiege the castle. After several aborted attempts, from May 1243, 6,000 men surrounded Montségur who resisted until Mars 1, 1244, the date on which Pierre-Roger de Mirepoix obtained a 15-day truce. Finally, on Mars 16, the fortress surrendered. Two hundred and twenty men and women who refuse to deny their faith are condemned to the stake. The last Cathar castles, Quéribus and Niort-de-Sault, were finally taken in turn in 125527. Measures taken against the Jews Saint Louis makes the difference In 1248, while staying in Cyprus, the King of France was approached by envoys from Eljigidei, a Mongol commander based in Armenia and Persia11. Eljigidei warns Louis "that Güyük Khan is ready to help him conquer the Holy Land and deliver Jerusalem from the hands of the Saracens" and suggests that he land in Egypt, while he attacks Baghdad, to prevent the Saracens of Egypt and those of Syria join forces12,L 66. The king then sent two preachers to the Great Khan, including André de Longjumeau, as well as a very luxurious scarlet tent as a chapel, containing “images” showing the essentials of the Christian faithL 66. However, Güyük died before the arrival of the ambassador, and nothing concrete resulted; Queen Oghul Qaïmich, now regent, politely declined the offer12. In 1249, Louis learned th
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PicClick Insights - Medal Saint Louis Ix Dit Le Prudhomme 1969 Josette Hébert-coëffin King France - PicClick Exclusive

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