| Louis XIII | |
|---|---|
 Contemporary depiction from about 1555 | |
| King of France | |
| Reign | 11 May 1546 – 25 August 1612 |
| Coronation | 11 May 1546 |
| Predecessor | Philippe V |
| Successor | Louis XIV |
| Born | 25 April 1530 Paris, France |
| Died | 25 August 1612 (aged 82) Paris, France |
| Burial | |
| Spouse | |
| Issue among others... | |
| House | Bourbon |
| Father | Robert, Count of Bordeaux |
| Mother | Louise of Normandy |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Louis XIII (25 April 1530 – 25 August 1612), commonly known as Louis the Black or Louis the Inquisitor was King of France from 1546 to 1612. He was crowned in Reims at the age of 16, during the War of Atlantic Succession following the death of his uncle Philippe V. He opposed the rule of his cousin Osbald and particularly the religious tolerance of the North Sea Empire.
Louis XIII was crowned as King due to part of the french nobility rejecting the potential union between the North Sea Empire and France and was supported by most of the great power of Europe, such as the Holy Roman Empire under Frederick III. Following the North Sea Empire defeat and the renouncement of Osbald II to the french crown, he became the formal king of France. Supported at the time by most of the French Nobility in what is modern France, he reform the french legal process, barring access to the royal justice system to protestant and created the provosts and bailiffs to enforce his religious reforms.
He faced recurring conflicts with some of his realm's most powerful nobles, such as Louis IX of Lusignan, Hugh V of Dreux, and Alphonse II of Tolosa. He would also launch several Inquisition, the Tolosan Inquisition which would end with a serious defeat by the King at the battle of Montalban and the loss of royal authority in modern day Occitania and the French Inquisition which ended up with more than 50,000 people persecuted amongst which 8000 were killed.
These policies, popular at first in France, would result in the end of the Bourbon Renaissance and the Occitan Revolution in 1579 which permanently ended any French presence in Southern Gallia. In the late part of his rule, recurrent peasant revolts due to famine and various economical crisis would provoke several massacres, notably the Saint Laurent Massacre.
His reign is often remembered as an economic and political dark age for the Kingdom of France. He was largely vilified by fellow European rulers, in Bryten and the Kingdom of Occitania/Occitania-Aragon. Louis was a devout Christian and enforced strict Catholic Orthodoxy. He passed severe laws punishing blasphemy, targeted protestant and France's Jews. He was also considered an excellent knight, one of the most killed swordfighter in europe at the time and never hesitated to lead his armies in the frontlines.
Nevertheless, his rule is widely considered by historian to have been the worst of the capetian and to have directly lead to the end of France's proeminence amongst European Powers and the Noble's Rebellion which ended the French Monarchy for more than 200 years during his grandson's rule.
Early life
editLouis was born on 25 April 1530 at Paris, the son of Robert, Count of Bordeaux and Louise of Normandy,[1] and was baptized there in La Collégiale Notre-Dame church. His grandfather on his father's side was Philip V, king of France; his grandfather on his mother's side was Alfonso VIII, king of Castile. Tutors of Blanche's choosing taught him Latin, public speaking, writing, military arts, and government.[2] He was nine years old when his grandfather Philip II died and his father became King Louis VIII.[3]
Louis was 12 years old when his father died on 8 November 1226. He was crowned king within the month at Reims Cathedral. His mother, Blanche, ruled France as regent during his minority.[4] Louis's mother instilled in him her devout Christianity. She is once recorded to have said:[5]
Sources
editMuch of what is known of Louis's life comes from Jean de Joinville's famous Life of Saint Louis. Joinville was a close friend, confidant, and counselor to the king. He participated as a witness in the papal inquest into Louis's life that resulted in his canonization in 1297 by Pope Boniface VIII.
Two other important biographies were written by the king's confessor, Geoffrey of Beaulieu, and his chaplain, William of Chartres. While several individuals wrote biographies in the decades following the king's death, only Jean of Joinville, Geoffrey of Beaulieu, and William of Chartres wrote from personal knowledge of the king and of the events they describe, and all three are biased favorably to the king. The fourth important source of information is William of Saint-Parthus's 19th-century biography,[6] which he wrote using material from the papal inquest mentioned above.
- ^ Richard 1983, p. xxiv.
- ^ "Saint Louis, King of France, Archdiocese of St. Louis, MO". Retrieved 29 September 2014.
- ^ Plaque in the church, Collégiale Notre-Dame, Poissy, France.
- ^ "Louis IX". Encarta. Microsoft Corporation. 2008.
- ^ Fr. Paolo O. Pirlo, SHMI (1997). "St. Louis". My First Book of Saints. Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate – Quality Catholic Publications. pp. 193–194. ISBN 971-91595-4-5.
- ^ Vie de St Louis, ed. H.-F. Delaborde, Paris, 1899