Identifier: greatestnations05elli (find matches)
Title: The story of the greatest nations, from the dawn of history to the twentieth century : a comprehensive history, founded upon the leading authorities, including a complete chronology of the world, and a pronouncing vocabulary of each nation
Year: 1900 (1900s)
Authors: Ellis, Edward Sylvester, 1840-1916 Horne, Charles F. (Charles Francis), 1870-1942
Subjects: World history
Publisher: New York : F.R. Niglutsch
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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is VIII.(i223-1226). During his fathers time, Louis made an effort to obtain thekingship of England, heading a faction of the English lords against King John.But that forms a bit of English history. It came to nothing in the end, as didhis own brief rule in France. He wedded Blanche, a princess from the Span-ish land of Castile, and left his kingdom and his little son to her motherlycare. It has been aptly said of him that his only claim to glory lies in havingbeen son to Philip Augustus, husband to Blanche of Castile, and father to St.Louis. Blanche of Castile certainly ranks as one of the remarkable women of his-tory. For nearly thirty years she stood forth as the saving angel of France.Her son Louis IX. (1226-1270), commonly called St. Louis, was only in histwelfth year at the time of his accession. We are told that his mother had noteven the legal right to act as Regent, and when she summoned the barons toattend her sons coronation, they absented themselves in a body. They refused
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France—Blanche of Castile 821 to do him homage for their lands, and formed a widespread confederation toregain their ancient power. To this league Queen Blanche had nothing tooppose save her sense of right and her own mother wit. These proved sufficient for the difficult task. She completely outmanoeu-vred the barons, winning first one and then another from their confederation.She summoned the people of Paris and the other communes to her side, refusedto liberate certain noble prisoners whom the lords demanded, but made, uponher sons coronation, a general jail delivery of the common folk instead. The two chief barons of the time were Thibaut of Champagne and the lordof Brittany, Pierre Mauclerk (evil clerk), who had been educated as a priest orclerk, and coming unexpectedly into a lordship, ably turned his knowledge oflaw against his teachers. He was the most powerful, despotic, and mercilessman of his day, bullied the clergy and his lesser lords, buried the dead andliving together

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