General Notes

REFN: 6877AN
Alias:<ALIA> The /Lion/
REFN: P4192
Louis VIII the Lion (French: Louis VIII le Lion) (September 5, 1187 – Nove
mber 8, 1226) reigned as King of France from 1223 to 1226. He was a memb
er of the Capetian dynasty. Louis VIII was born in Paris, France, the s
on of Philip II of France and Isabelle of Hainaut.
In 1216 the English barons rebelled in the First Barons' War against the u
npopular King John of England (1199–1216) and offered the throne to Loui
s. Louis invaded and was proclaimed King in London in May 1216, althou
gh he was not crowned. There was little resistance when the prince enter
ed London. At St Paul's Cathedral, Louis was accepted as ruler with gre
at pomp and celebration in the presence of all of London. Many nobles, inc
luding Alexander II of Scotland (1214–49), gathered to give homage to him.
On June 14 he captured Winchester and soon conquered over half of the Engl
ish kingdom. Since other English Kings such as Edward V (1483) and Edwa
rd VIII (1936) were not crowned but only proclaimed, there is a good ca
se for including Louis VIII in the list of Kings of England. After a ye
ar and a half of war, most of the rebellious barons had defected and so Lo
uis had to give up his claim to be the King of England by signing the Trea
ty of Lambeth in 1217.
Louis VIII succeeded his father on July 14, 1223; his coronation took pla
ce on August 6 of the same year in the cathedral at Reims. As King, he con
tinued to seek revenge on the Angevins and seized Poitou and Saintonge fr
om them in 1224. There followed the seizure of Avignon and Languedoc.
On 1 November 1223, he issued an ordinance that prohibited his officials f
rom recording debts owed to Jews, thus reversing the policies set by his f
ather Philip II of France (1180–1223). Usury (lending money with interes
t) was illegal for Christians to practice, according to Church law it w
as seen as a vice in which people profited from others' misfortune (like g
ambling), and was punishable by excommunication, a severe punishment. Howe
ver since Jews were not Christian, they could not be excommunicated, and t
hus fell in to a legal gray area which secular rulers would sometimes expl
oit by allowing (or requesting) Jews to provide usury services, often f
or personal gain to the secular ruler, and to the discontent of the Churc
h. Louis VIII's prohibition was one attempt at resolving this legal probl
em which was a constant source of friction in Church and State courts.
Twenty six barons accepted, but Theobald IV of Champagne (1201–53), a powe
rful baron from Champagne did not, since he had an agreement with the Je
ws that guaranteed him extra income through taxation. Theobald IV would be
come a major opposition force to Capetian dominance, and his hostility w
as manifest during the reign of Louis VIII. For example, during the sie
ge of Avignon, he performed only the minimum service of 40 days, and le
ft home amid charges of treachery.
In 1225, the council of Bourges excommunicated the count of Toulouse, Raym
ond VII, and declared a crusade against the southern barons. Louis happi
ly renewed the conflict in order to enforce his royal rights. Roger Berna
rd the Great, count of Foix, tried to keep the peace, but the king reject
ed his embassy and the counts of Foix and Toulouse took up arms against hi
m. The king was largely successful, but he did not complete the work befo
re his death.
While returning to Paris, King Louis VIII became ill with dysentery, and d
ied on November 8, 1226 in the chateau at Montpensier, Auvergne.
The Saint Denis Basilica houses the tomb of Louis VIII. His son, Lou
is IX (1226–70), succeeded him on the throne.
On May 23, 1200, at the age of twelve, Louis married Blanche of Castile (M
arch 4, 1188 – November 26, 1252).
Issue
Philippe (September 9, 1209 – 1218)
Louis IX (April 25, 1214 – August 25, 1270)
Robert (September 25, 1216 – February 9, 1250)
Jean (July 21, 1219 – 1232)