Louis IX

Who was Louis IX? Today, Stephen Nichols explores the remarkable life of this medieval French king, renowned for his piety, moral leadership, and role in the Crusades.

Welcome back to another episode of 5 Minutes in Church History. On this episode, we are talking about the namesake of the great city of St. Louis, that gateway city to the west with its famous art. You've probably assumed that St. Louis is named for someone, but you might not know who it is. Well, it is Louis, Louis IX, the King of France. Louis the IX stepped onto the throne in 1226. He was 12 years old. He was actually the fourth child born to the king, but his three older siblings all died at an early age, leaving him the heir. He started his reign in 1226, and he stepped off the throne the time of his death 44 years later in 1270. Incidentally, his reign, 1226 to 1270, nearly coincides with the life of Thomas Aquinas. He lived 1225 to 1274.

Meanwhile, back to Louis IX. He is considered one of France's greatest kings, if not one of the greatest kings of the medieval era. He was known for his piety. He wanted France to be a great nation, but he thought it first had to be a good nation in order to be great. He committed himself to being a moral exemplar, and then he turned his focus on the nation. He would punish his soldiers when they behaved badly, unlike previous kings who let those things slide. He was also known as a very contemplative man, and he enjoyed hearing sermons. He was not immune from the negative aspects of medieval piety. He collected relics and he attached spiritual significance to the relics and even prayed to those relics in the hope to receive graces. Sometimes he was given relics as a gift, such as the case when the emperor in Constantinople gave Louis IX the "crown of thorns."

Now you're listening, and you're not watching me. So you didn't see the air quotes there around crown of thorns, but this was purported to be the crown that was put on the head of Christ at his trial and crucifixion. The legend has it that the crown was miraculously evergreen and that it never dried out. It was taken as a symbol of eternal life, and legend further has it that when the crown was in Louis IX’s hands, he broke down and wept and wept. Well, Louis IX also led not one, but two crusades. He led the seventh crusade in 1248. He left his mother in charge of the throne in France, and he set off with his armies. Four years prior, in 1244, Jerusalem had fallen to Muslim power, and so on this crusade, Louis IX and his forces planned to attack Egypt, the central location of the power of the Muslim forces.

It did not end well. Louis himself was captured and he was eventually ransomed. He decided, however, to stay in the holy land, and over the course of a few years, signed many treaties and actually made some diplomatic progress. And then upon the news of his mother's death, he returned home. In 1270. He returned again and led the eighth crusade. The plan was to attack the Muslim forces at Tunisia. Louis IX’s forces landed and they set about making their encampments, but he met with a hidden enemy, the enemy of bacteria, and he contracted dysentery, and he died before even a single arrow was released from the archer's bow. A treaty was signed, and Louis IX’s forces set sail for home. His body was taken to the French royal tombs there at the Cathedral of St. Dennis in Paris, and there he was buried Louis IX, this great king of France. And as many historians have said, perhaps the greatest king of the Middle Ages. And of course, the namesake of the city, St. Louis. Well, that's Louis IX. And I'm Steve Nichols, and thanks for joining us for 5 Minutes in Church History.