Louis VIII of France

King of France

Ingeborg of Denmark

(His death)

Phillip I of Navarre

Charles I, Duke of Orléans

Phillipa of France

Isabella, Countess of Savoy

Louis I, Prince of Antioch

**Louis the Younger** or **Louis the Cruel** (C. 1124 - 1185) was King of the Franks from 1128 to 1139, until the title was changed to "King of France," he was the son of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Louis VII of the Franks. Louis was a very famous crusader in the crusades, he even spent most of his life trying to take over Jerusalem, Louis VIII married Joan I of Navarre in 1139, he was technically King Consort of Navarre, but he was crowned a year after he was married. Louis was known for his boldness and military ambition, he was a victorious crusader in the 4th crusade, and he managed to take Antioch which was a rich city in Southern Turkey. When his beloved wife Joan I, fell ill with cancer, Joan made a will saying that there younger son Phillip of France who was 24 should inherit the Kingdom of Navarre, when Joan died, Phillip of France and his wife were crowned king and Queen of Navarre, Louis devastated remarried a Danish princess named Ingeborg, Ingeborg was more of a companion to the devastated king then a wife, Ingeborg had 3 children was Louis whom were, Phillipa, Isabella, and Louis. When Louis died his eldest son Charles succeeded him as King of France, though he was famous and loved, he is known for his cruelty, and willing to kill children for political power.

## Early Life

### Birth and celebration

Louis of France was born at midnight in 1124, he was the son of Eleanor of Aquitaine, and Louis VII of the Franks. Louis's birth was celebrated because he was the long awaited heir his father had been waiting for, he was gifted with manors, money, a silver crib, rich food, fruit cakes, chocolates, and the Duchy of Valois even though he was only 1 hour old, he was named for his father who made him co-king when he was not even 1 day old, he had an older sister named Alix who was the future Countess of Blois, and Queen of Jerusalem. Louis was named heir to the throne and he was loved by his father dearly unlike his siblings, Louis's birth was celebrated with free beer, and music in his honor. His father bethrothed him to Grutelde of Brabant, Louis's mother Eleanor was not a fan of this bethrothal, Grutelde's father William I, Duke of Brabant, had tried to invade Eleanor's duchy Aquitaine, which Eleanor held in her own right. Eleanor also did not agree that a child who is only 6 weeks old now should be bethrothed yet. Eleanor of Aquitaine tried to break the engagement by offering her husband 700 euros, her husband was going to accept it, because it was a lot of money for the time, but William I of Brabant would not allow this, he wanted to gain royal favourate in France so he threatened war if they dared to break up the marriage proposal. At the end, the proposal did not break.

### Break up of proposal

When Louis turned 1, his mother planned to bethroth him to Beatrice of Hallwin, the daughter of Eleanor's new ally Henry I, Count of Hallwin. So she promised William 8,000 euros if he would instead marry Grutelde to someone else, but William refused, and called Eleanor a beggar. Eleanor in such anger, killed William's ambassador and led siege to Brabant, when she succeeded she killed William and forced the family to go into exile and gave brabant to Louis who was now Louis II of Brabant. Henry I, Count of Hallwin thought that Eleanor's son now was going to marry Beatrice, but Eleanor had a different plan, she wanted him to one day marry the heiress of Navarre, who was Joan of Navarre, so Eleanor made a deal with her father to break up the marriage Joan had with the King of Naples, and marry Louis when she was old enough, when Henry I heard of this betrayal, he was furious and raided Aquitaine, Eleanor had him executed and made Louis, now Louis V, Count of Hallwin.

### Education

At the age of 4, he was strictly taught how to govern a country. His father spoiled him with whatever he wanted, and gave him the best teachers in all of France, Louis's father invested his son with the County of Auvergne on Louis's 5th birthday. Louis's governess was Isabella of Zeeland and Zupthen, he was taught by his governess math which Louis always found interest it, and history. Louis was known to have great hand writing, his hand writing at age 5 was so good, it looked better then adults hand writing. Louis found interest in Alexander the Great, Christianity, and he liked studying ancient Rome. He also was taught by Eleanor of Aquitaine (aka his mother) about the History of Aquitaine, Louis had many books about Aquitaine, Germany, France, and England. He also mastered the English, Flemish, German, Hungarian, and Greek language, he wrote in many notebooks which are in French gallery's today.

## King of the Franks

Louis knew he would be king someday, when he turned 6, his father was greatly ill. He could not see or eat, he stayed in bed, and Louis came to visit his father, Eleanor of Aquitaine began rolling out plans if the King was to die, he died in his sleep the next morning. The unprepared 6 year old Louis was crowned King of the Franks (Which included, King of West Francia, East Francia, Duke of Orléans, Count of Paris, Count of Soissons, Duke of Bourbon, Duke of Berry, Count of Piney, Úzes, and Flanders.) Louis's mother Eleanor of Aquitaine was appointed regent, but when Eleanor married English king Henry II of England, his paternal grand-mother Adelaide of maurienne became his regent. Adelaide was a caring grand-mother, she spoiled Louis a lot and gave him an allowance of 4,000 euros a month, Adelaide never scolded the Prince even when he broke something. Louis came out to be a fine and handsome boy. Adelaide gave Louis on his 10th birthday the County of Aumale, which contained 25 estates, and lot of Gold.

## Second Crusade

When Louis was 11 years old, his grand-mother told him about a crusade to regain the Holy Land's. More then anything Adelaide wanted Louis to go Crusading once he was 12. Louis had mixed feelings, he liked the idea of fighting the "Bad guys," but he also did not want to die. But nevertheless once he was 12, his grand-mother sent Louis to his mother to go crusading in Jerusalem. Louis came back unharmed which made Adelaide very proud. When Adelaide died, Louis inherited the County of Maurienne which was a very rich county. His new Regent was his Grand-mother's sister Isabella of Maurienne, who was very fond of Louis. Louis felt now that he was a well known crusader in europe, he needed to man up more. So he started thinking of either marrying the future Queen of Navarre like his mother Eleanor wanted, or marry Joan of Lorraine, who's family ruled the Duchy of Lorraine, and they were started to gain royal favor from England.

## Marriage

When Louis was 13, he would either marry Joan of Lorraine, or Joan of Navarre, who was now Joan I of Navarre. Louis was very under pressure to make a choice, his mother pressured her son greatly to marry Joan I of Navarre. But Joan of Lorraine's father pressured Louis to chose Joan of Lorraine. Louis wen't to his most loyal vassal the Arch-Bishop, and begged the vassal to help him out. The Arch-Bishop was the maternal cousin of Joan I of Navarre, and suggested heavly that without a doubt Louis should chose Joan I, but another member of the vassal was the paternal 3rd cousin once removed to the Duke of Lorraine, he was in favor of a union with Joan of Lorraine. Louis then out of pressure asked a fellow random nobleman named Henry II, Count of Enghien to make the choice. Henry was suprised the King of the Franks would ask a nobleman who was so unknown that he could be forgotten. Henry advised Louis to marry the Queen of Navarre, because Joan I, had a better dowry then Joan of Lorraine. Louis agreed and married the 14 year old in Flanders in 1139, he was technically King of Navarre, but he was not crowned until the next year. Louis did have his wife crowned "Queen of the Franks." But he famously changed the title to King and Queen of France because the name sounded better to him, so Joan had a second coronation as Queen of France, being the 1st Queen of the France to be crowned 2 times. Joan never let her husband she was very fond of have power in Navarre, but she gave her a position as advisor to the council, Louis gave Joan the Duchy of Alençon, which made Joan the first woman to hold the Duchy of Alençon. Joan was gifted the Château de Gisors, which included 8,000 euros, jewles, and 8000 acre land.

## Murder of Isabella of Maurienne

Despite the fact, Louis's regent, Isabella of Maurienne adored Louis, Louis did not feel the same way. Louis wanted control of his kingdom like his wife had in Navarre, so he told Isabella to step-down. Isabella who enjoyed the advantages of being regent of France refused. Much to the anger of Louis who murdered her daughter Marie d'Évreux, Isabella was no longer the caring aunt of Louis, but the bitter enemy. Louis was not done, while Isabella was at work, he and his beautiful wife strangled Isabella of Maurienne to death, after that she was never given a proper burial. Isabella's 28 year old son Phillip II, Count of Évreux was furious, he led an attempted siege to try to invade France, but it failed after he was killed by a guard, after that Louis had his 12 year old son now Phillip III of Évreux beaten causing brain damage, and finally beheaded. The nobles were shocked at the cruelty to Louis, the nobles became calling him Louis the Mad, and they tried to overthrow him, but Louis beheaded those to defied. His mother Eleanor shocked at this cruelty tried to calm the 16 year old down, but Louis knew what he had to do in order to claim power. He killed a noble by the name of John II of Foix, and took his county from the heir apparent to foix, and gave it to a loyal supporter, named Henry III, Count of Foix. Louis remained enemies with most of the nobles who called him the "Mad," or the Cruel.

## Third crusade

When Louis was informed about the 3rd crusade by the vassals, he wen't to England with his wife, to pick up there half-brother Prince Henry of England, Joan, Henry, and Louis set for Jerusalem. Joan actually wanted to go crusading in Turkey, but Jerusalem and Jaffa were some major crusader states. Joan's aunt Elvira of Castile told the 3 Eastern Jerusalem was the safest place, but Louis who was preparing for lust, wen't west with his 7,000 men and 6,000 woman army. Elvira warned them that Ottoman settelers there were very aggresive, when Louis arrived, he was hit in the check with a dagger, Louis's face did not bleed but he was very aggresive to the knight that stabbed him, his fury left most, if not all the Ottoman's there dead. Joan told Louis he should go home, and let Henry and she go crusading in Hungary, but Louis felt he had lots of power, and he wanted to use it. So he wen't to Hungary, he was kicked off his horse 9 times, and was thrown into the water along with Henry 36 times, but he managed to crush the Ottoman invaders and headed for Croatia, there he won easily as the invaders there had been caught of track with the Kieven rus' crusaders who drained there weapons.

## Fight with the Count of Penthièvre

After the murder of the Count of Foix, many nobles started to dislike the king, especially the Count of Penthièvre, named Henry. Henry was the Count of Foix's 1st cousin, and he was very close to the Count. Louis threatened to take away Henry's power's as state vassal of Paris, if he kept talking bad about the King. Henry was willing, and ready to lose even his head, to silly the king's name. Louis warned Henry one last time, Henry instead made a speech speaking out against the king in Palompa in Navarre. Louis's wife Joan was so furious, she not only chopped of Henry's head, she killed his mother Elizabeth of the Palatine, Louis's reputation was not ruined amongst his people, in fact he was very popular with his people. But the nobles saw Louis as a dangerous threat to there power. Louis tired of nobles insulting him and his Queen, he told every noble with an heir apparent, that he would pay them in return for there support, the heir's overthrowed the parents and were loyal to the King.

## Preparing for the Fourth crusade

Louis's mother Eleanor, who was in England warned Louis about the fourth crusade, Louis was not that scared, and he did not care that much. But his wife urged him to care more, Louis did not bother at first and wen't to party at Château de Schœneck, in Dambach. But Joan dragged him out and forced him to prepare his army in Orléans. Louis followed his wife's desires and set up 19 military camps each day in the week to prepare in Orléans. Some old nobles who were still alive attempted to burn down the military camps as a revenge for Louis's cruelty. But Louis stopped them and killed most of them, those who survived either fled, or were imprisoned and later murdered. Louis and Joan wen't to England 4 days before the 4th crusade, to visit there half-siblings. Louis was quite fond of his 2 half-sisters Constance and Isabella of England, but he hated his half-brother Richard, for being Eleanor's favourate. Louis then left for Serbia were Ottoman's were setting up military camps, Louis wen't with his half brother-in-law Robert, Louis and Robert had a very hard time being together, Robert was the same age as Louis, but he still thought of himself as smarter and better. Louis thought Robert was bossy, cringey, and Pathetic. Robert had very bad sense of humor, he did not find jokes that Louis made funny, and he never laughed at all during the times the army's made jokes. Robert's sister Constancá of Sicily was forced to come to acompany Louis, Louis though Constancá was very ugly, and was not afraid to call her a horse-face, Louis even pushed his sister-in-law of a bridge, causing her to die of head trauma. Louis did not care, but his family did and almost shunned him, Robert made Louis look like a villan all he could, but at the end the 2 were forced to sleep in the same room abording the ship to go to Serbia.

### 4th Crusade

In the room's, Louis and Robert exchanged insults at each other, they threw water at each-other and attempted the kill each-other, at the end, Louis's wife offered Louis her room, so Joan could at-last sleep, Joan and Robert shared a room instead, but the 2 had an even worse relationship, Joan and Robert called each-other names, and they threw rats at each other, everytime a rat came aboard. Louis and Joan as a mean prank locked Robert in his room while they faught in Serbia, Robert who was destand to fight his first crusade banged a hammer to let him out, at the end it had been 6 days, Robert ate the many food in his room, but Joan and Louis came victorious and they fought the battle without Robert's help. Robert was so angry he threw his own friend into the water, then Louis concerned that Robert would keep throwing people in the water, he promised Robert that he would be able to crusade in Turkey, Louis and Robert still hated each-other, but they stopped trying to murder, one-another. When they arrived in Turkey, Joan and Louis wen't north to kill invaders there, and Robert and his army wen't south to steal and overthrow overlords of the Turkish provinces. Robert and Louis's army's famously bumped into each-other, they army's yelled, insulted, and cursed at each-other to move out of the way. Louis pushed Robert off his horse, and 7 seconds later Robert kicked Louis of his horse. Louis refused to move until Robert's army moved, but someone else made both of them move, the Ottoman empire was about the slaughter both Robert, Joan and Louis, but the 3 slaughtered them first, and then the army's started insulting each other again, they were met by Eleanor of Aquitaine's army to scolded both men, and forced them to move for her army, after the crusade the men took different ships, Louis wrote of Robert "Such a handsome man, only to be ruined by stupidity and iggnorance."

## Relationship with Isabella de Meleun

One of Louis's best friends Henry de Meleun who was the Baron of Meleun, had a beautiful daughter named Isabella, whom Louis thought to be very beautiful, and lady-like. Isabella (Known as Lady Bella, or Isavelle) was very charming, but very dumb, and did not know how to spell her name, Joan disliked the noblewoman and refused to allow her in the Royal chambers and called her a fish-face, Isabella also knew her priorities, she wanted to win the king's heart, so she purposley seduced the king, Isabella wen't to bed with Louis only 7 times, but Louis gave everything Isabella wanted to her. Joan called a staff in her household who was Anne Perise dé Moibrie, and asked her to deliver wine to the mistress, Anne did as she said and wen't to Isabella's palace. Isabella was found dead 6 hours after she drank the wine, most likely because Joan put poison in it, Louis was sad, but he was fine after 8 days of crying alone, but Louis never probably scolded his wife for killing his girlfriend. Henry died a day later of being strangled by Joan's spy, Robert de Vere, Isabella's mother Elizabeth de Guilver fled to Portugal, to escape dying next.

## 5th Crusade

After 1 year, the next Crusade was already being yelled out by jesters on the streets of Paris and Flanders. Louis's wife Joan was getting ready in Navarre, again Louis was forced to go with Robert of Sicily, because Robert's wife Constance of England (Aka Louis's half-sister) would be going with Louis's half-brother Henry the Young King. The 22 year old Louis was very unkeen, he even begged the Pope to excommunicate Robert of Sicily, but the Pope refused, and famously said "Nemo debet sine causa go away," Which means "No man should go away with out a reason." When Louis met Robert, he said "Même mon serveur stupide est plus intelligent que vous!" Which means "Even my idiotic server is smarter then you." The now 22 year old Robert insulted him back, the 2 marched to Jaffa, were they would crusade, on the ship to Jaffa, Louis challenged Robert to a duel which was common at the time, the nobles on board the ship where baffled and tried to break up the fight, but all the knights who were in the 5th cabin were screaming "BATS TOI", "COMBATTIMENTO", which both meant "FIGHT" in Italian, and French. A nobleman by the name of Phillip II, Viscount of Marsan, alerted other ships passing by that where for the christian kingdoms for help, a Hungarian ship led by Louis's sister Blanche of France, Blanche stopped the duel and told both kings that they were wasting time killing each other, instead of killing Ottomans, Louis still did not want Robert on Ship, and even poured Robert's champerpot on him, which greatly insulted the Sicilian king, Robert then poured urine in Louis's water that was suppose to be wine, when Louis drank the wine, he spat it out in front of the whole French dinning room on the ship, every Sicilian knight in the 12th cabin laughed and joked about it, as revenge, Louis's knights trapped 7, 12 year old knights in the 11th Cabin on board, only 3 of the 12 year old's survived, fury to the Sicilian king, the knights kidnapped Louis, and dressed him up as a girl and the Sicilian knights poked fun at him, in revenge, Louis poisoned Robert's best knight who was no other then, Ferdinand Colombo Maximus, this sparked outrage all across Europe who had thought Louis wen't mad for killing a christian knight. Louis probably did suffer from Bipolar disorder which was an ongoing moodswing Louis had, but Louis probably had it under-control. When they arrived in Jaffa, Louis did not know how bloody this crusade would be, he just thought it would be a few bows an arrows, and a few sword swings, and then he would go home, and wait for the second crusade, but no. When he arrived, it was like an Earth hell, it smelled horrible because of the dead bodies, and speaking of dead bodies, it was very hard to move around, also everyone was dieing 60 at a time, (Not including people who where hit by friendly fires.) Louis tried as hard as he could do, but he and Robert were equally scared, even though they still made fun of each-other for being scared, the men were way to scared to make it to Turkey to Crusade there, but Louis's wife was the only one who was not even a little bit scared, Joan I dragged both men to Turkey, and defended there colony of Antioch, then they met Constance of England who was with Henry, they only met for 2 hours before they had to leave, Louis came home in pain after being tossed into a waterfall, being the first Monarch to ever being yanked off a waterfall. Louis did recover after 4 months in Château de Sarzay, which remained his favourate Castle for the rest of his life.

## Relationship with Step-father

Louis's step-dad was Eleanor of Aquitaine's new husband Henry II of England. Henry was the richest and most powerfulest man in the world at the time, Louis greatly disliked his step-dad, as he saw him as a huge threat to any of Louis's territories in France, but all of Louis's sisters, Alix, Blanche, Marie and Agnes, never minded Henry II, and got along with him. Louis's mother also did not really like Henry after an infamous family feud that was starting very soon, but Eleanor begged Louis not to get involved, but Louis had a plan, Henry's son Henry the Young was against his father's political deals of not allowing himself to have power, Louis allied himself with Henry II's handsome son, and they made a plan to overthrow Henry II, even though Henry the Young would die later on, Louis allied himself wit Constance, and Prince Richard, even though he hated Richard and did not talk to him, he still liked Prince Richard more then his infamous father. So the plans wen't forward. Louis wrote many threats to his step-father, threatening if he did not hand Louis over, the following French territories of, Brittany, Normandy, Nantes, Poiters, Anjou, and Angoulême, that Louis would invade England, even though Henry II, never gave Louis the territories, and fed the letter to his dogs, Louis never actually invaded England as he gave up trying.

## 6th Crusade

In the late 1140's, Louis was by now about 26, he was not that old, but it was a common age to die at, Louis prayed to god that he would not die, and it worked. Louis ordered a meeting at his favourate castle which was the Château de Sarzay. Joan arrived with 6 royal vassals, and Louis famously tried to tell the vassals to go away, so he could try to talk to the ministers of the lands, but no one listened and everyone started debating, the Vassals, advised Louis to go crusading in Jerusalem, but Louis wanted to go to Syria, but Louis knew the vassals were smarter then him, even though the vassals had no control over Louis, if Louis did not always listen to them, Louis would be at risk for dying in war. So they both marched to Jerusalem, they met Constance and Henry the Young, who were marching straight to Northern Turkey, they said there fairwells before they would go off to war. Joan's best friend, Maria Manuela y Therese Mayoress died of fever during the crusade which was a very dark time for Joan, she almost left back to Navarre to not serve in the French Royal army, but Joan got over it and fought in Jerusalem, Louis's sister Alix, was the Queen of Jerusalem, and gladly allowed them in to the kingdom. Joan and Louis did not really see the lust of the 6th Crusade, as Louis only fought in Jerusalem and Syria, they did not do as much to help as they felt no need to, when Louis returned back to his Château de Sarzay, he just wrote down, "Victory" to his mother with no context, many historians believe "Victory" meant, Louis won a battle untouched, but it also could mean Louis was almost killed and was hurt, but he managed to kill ottoman settlers, and fled home.

## Relationship with mother

Eleanor of Aquitaine (Louis's mother) was not close to Louis at all, even though she did 100% love him, she always thought her son was cruel, strict, rude, and unjust, but Louis always thought he was doing what was right, and what he meant by "What was right" was, what was right for him. Eleanor was furious when she heard Louis had killed a Sicilian, Christian knight as a revenge, but Louis never felt guilty after the death of the knight, he did not care what his mother thought as he never did anything really for Eleanor of Aquitaine other then crusade, Louis's relationship with Eleanor go worse when she made Richard heir apparent to Aquitaine, but Louis was the rightful heir, and threatened his own mother, which shocked Europe, his sister's, Agnes, Blanche, Marie and Alix did actually support him as heir to Aquitaine and sent him armor and weapons, his half-sister Constance also supported him, he gave Richard 800 euros (Which would be 393,023$ today,) to pay for food, Eleanor in concern, gave her children each 790 euros, and then begged them to go away from Aquitaine, but 790 euro's was not enough, after 1 year, Louis made peace with his mother, and the 2 became closer, although never the "Favourate."

## 7th Crusade and mothers death

Louis's mother was very tired of war, and by now Richard was now king after Henry the Young was killed, Louis helped his mother travel to Jaffa by boat, it was an easy travel, because Robert was dead by now, which made Louis very happy, Louis and Eleanor crusaded to Jaffa, Eleanor of Aquitaine was old and tried her hardest to fight, Louis killed 901 men in the battle of Kriahr, and Eleanor killed only 48, Louis's wife Joan took Louis's half-sister Constance to Jerusalem which was very close to Jaffa, Louis then protected his territory in Antioch, the Ottomans wen't back to declare Holy war on Jaffa, and Eleanor and Louis were forced to go back to Jaffa, Eleanor complained all the time, that the ship was to hot, the water was to cold, the noise was to loud, the ship smelled bad, or the food was to mushy, Louis hated his mother non-stop complaining, but he never told him to stop-talking, he always served his mother, even when it was midnight. When the arrived in Toron in Armenia, Louis kidnapped, Muhammed II of Toron, Eleanor did not want Humphrey on the same ship as her, and Eleanor strangled the Ottoman supporter Lord, Louis became Louis II, Lord of Toron. Louis replaced the King of Armenia whom Louis also killed with Phillip of Courtney, Louis's mother died 3 months later.

## Battle of Greth

Louis was not done with war, even though he had been on 6 crusades, he had other war's that were not crusades, his first one was the Battle of Greth, Louis and the Count of Sully (Who was named Henry II of Sully) were in a debate, the Count wanted more lands in France then what he had inherited, Louis took most of the land from the Count's father during the murder of Isabella of Maurienne, Henry wanted his lands back and declared war in 1156, Louis thought it was a joke, because Henry was just a poor and not famous Count, and Louis was King of France, but Louis's advisors told him the threat was real, and Louis marched his army to Sully, but Henry trained his guards well, and Louis's best friend Henry, 1st Earl of Derby and John, 3rd Earl of Devon were both wounded and unable to fight after being knocked out by Henry II, the 37 year old Joan made her way to Sully and crushed the siege by Henry II, but Louis did not execute him, Louis instead made peace with Sully, and gave him the job of collecting taxes, and he was given the highest rank of advisor at his court, and Henry was also given a sum of 12,000+ francis a year (Which would be 6,028,826 today.) The battle ended with both men happy.

## Battle of Kros

2 months after the attack, in mid August of 1156, the John of Montpensier, who was the de facto pretender to the County of Montpensier wanted to reclaim Montpensier, which was taken when his father was executed by Louis's father in 1126, Montpensier belonged to the French crown, and Louis did not wan't to give up the valuble territory, Louis instead presented John of Montpensier with a dirty barn house, called the "John's Montpensier" which Louis told him, "I know better not to give up my lands that I rightfully inherited, take this and pretend those things (The things were pigs) are your people." The barn was dirty, and it only had 19 rooms, which was small for the average noble. The average noble barn, was clean, and had 72+ rooms in it, John indeed was insulted and burned down the barn while chanting "Je récupérerai ma terre" which meant "I will get my lands back." But John was indeed unpopular, he had 15 mistresses, he was always running out of money, he was a thief, and he was very Prudent, John needed an army in order to invade a county, so he found the support of the Prince of Gwynedd, who was a famous Welsh Prince, he was not that rich, and he was unpopular in England, but he had a decent army which John trusted, he marched to Paris and burned down Louis's palace called the Château de Spesbourg, and Louis's second favourate advisor Phillip de Monfort was burned alive, all the money in the Palace was stolen much to the fury of Louis, who raided there army base in Wales, the Prince barred anyone else including John of Montpensier from entering the Principality, John in his own was captured, and died in a ship-wreck while French knights were trying to take him to France. The battle lasted 3 months.

## Son's marriages

Louis now 38, he feared we was to old to fight, but his 39 year old wife told him he was not to old, Louis took his 16 year old son to a military camp to learn how to go to fight, Louis's son Charles also needed a wife, he was at the age, Joan did not wan't Charles to get married at just 16, and wanted him to wait after he finished, Joan though strict with her kids, was very caring and concerned all the time, but Louis did not wan't to waste time and wait till he was 18 when he would be done, Louis searched the bride market thurly to find any brides, Agnes of Merania was the best option according to Louis and the 13 year old Agnes and the 17 year old Charles were married in St. Denis Catherdral, but Charles was unfaithful and cruel, 2 traits he inherited from his father, Charles had many mistresses, and he fathered at least 6 illegitimate children, Agnes however was a jealous woman, she hated her husband having mistresses and had a hard time being with her husband, Joan did feel sympathy for Agnes, and privately wrote, "Your better then him, I am not afraid to say my son is a whore." Agnes died after being poisoned by Charles's mistress Phillipa de Meleun, who was the niece of Louis's former mistress, Isabella de Meleun. Joan blamed Phillipa for everything, and banned her from ever entering Navarre, Louis and Joan chose Joanna of Boulogne as Charles's wife, Charles still had mistresses, but Joanna was fine, because she had her own affairs publicly, which was unusual for a Queen at the time.

## 8th Crusade

Louis knew sense the 7th Crusade, the Crusade was not over, Louis ordered his son Charles to go alone and leave Joanna of Boulogne who was pregnant at the time at home, Joan was unsure about this, she wanted to make sure her dear son was ok, Charles wanted to go alone, because for all his life, he was surrounded by guards, and his parents, this time he would be able to prove he was okay alone, and lead an army to victory, Joan finally agreed to let him go, and Charles kissed his wife, and now 36 mistresses good bye. Joan wen't with Louis to Syria, Joan wen't north with her Navaresse-French army, and Louis wen't west with his French-English army. Charles was a very bad military leader in his early years, and his army forced him to join his father's army, so the army could march with Louis's army. Charles was Prudent and did not care what happened next which made him intality unpopular Co-King, Louis loved his 15 year old son Phillip, who was heir to the kingdom of Navarre, Phillip was a great General at just 14, he was smart, and faithful. It was clear Phillip was the favourate, Phillip crushed 600 ottoman's jahaders, and stole a lot, in Phillip's life-time he never lost a battle, and always was victorious, Charles was very jealous of his smart younger brother, and called him "Frog face" whenever he visited, but Phillip never cared, he once killed a son of the Sultan with a dagger to the face, and the thing was, the dagger was made out of wood, and it was a weak dagger.

## Son's marriage

After the Crusade, Louis was very proud of his son Phillip, and he made a celebration in honor of him, Charles was invited but he did not come, he blamed everything on his newborn son who was the future Louis XI of France. Charles was an abusive father, and he hated his wife and his children, but he hated Louis XI the most. Louis VIII wanted his 15 year old son Phillip to marry, the best bet was Blanche of Artois who was 13 years old. Phillip was very happy with his bride, and gifted her anything she wanted, Charles's wife Joanna of Boulogne told Blanche was was lucky to have a husband who cares about her. Blanche was georgous, she was dark hared, with olive skin, and her eyes were as blue as the ocean. Blanche was heiress to the County of Artois, which was a very important and rich territory in France, 18 days after the ceremony, Blanche's father died of stroke, Blanche became "Blanche I of Artois" and her husband became her co-ruler and was named "Phillip III of Artois." The county became apart of the crown until many years later.

## 9th Crusade

The Pope called a crusade in 1162, Louis decided to go with his sister Marie of France, while Joan I, wen't with Louis's niece Judith of Hungary and Louis's sister-in-law and half-sister-in-law Berengaria of Navarre wen't too. Louis's son Charles wen't with his 15 year old mistress Josaphine de Brissaca, and Phillip took his wife, and Charles's wife Joanna to Hungary to crusade. Louis was not that close to Marie of France, but he wen't with her, because Louis's favourate sister Alix of France was dead. Louis was annoyed at Marie when she would not stop complaining about how hot the ship was on sea, Louis wrote down in his diary, "My sister has been whaling all night about heat and warm tempature, I thurly wish she just get some Ice on board in the 3rd Cabin." Louis arrived in Serbia, where he reckessly murdered 523 Ottoman's, he even accidently killed a knight in his own army. Louis's son Charles had a hard time in Armenia, Charles was certainly now a fair and ok General, but he kept getting distracted by his mistress, so the knights stabbed Josaphine de Brissaca in her sleep and blamed it on an Ottoman warrior, this certainly made Charles fight more against the Ottoman's. Louis wen't to Slovenia to crush an Ottoman siege against Louis's sister Blanche. In Cyprus a Christian king died from a siege to Cyprus, which made all the united euro forces all very angry and Furious, so France, England, Kingdom of Hungary, Denmark, and Poland, made an unsuccessful attempt to restore the Christian monarchy to Cyprus, but failed. In a second attempt started by Louis the Simple of Zeeland, they managed to restore the Christian monarchy in southern Cyprus, but the bigger and richer part was owned by the Ottomans.

## 10th Crusade

After the 9th Crusade, Louis had was now 45, his 46 year old Queen was very tired and sick, but she refused to give up, Louis and Joan took there 23 year old daughter Joanna who was married to a French Count, to Hungary. Joanna helped her mother to Hungary, but Joan just got weaker, Joanna was forced to go back to France where she would be treated for leg pains, Louis and Joanna wen't to Jaffa and where separated in a siege, Joanna was taken prisoner in Turkey, Louis in raige, seieged a small part of Turkey to free his daughter. Joanna and Louis where nearly killed in a terrible storm that troops on both sides died in, they managed to go under-ground to not get blown away, when they were free to go, they defended Greece and Albania, then finally wen't home. Joanna quickly wen't to Brabant to check on Joan I, Joan in 1169 had many hedaches, Joan did not die, she barely recovered and still was left sick.

## Death of Queen Joan

Joan was unable to go on the 11th Crusade, Louis wen't with Joanna of France to Armenia, they crushed army's and wen't to Venice to save the ruling family in Venice from invasion, this crusade lasted 5 years, after the 5 years, Joanna stormed the Arenberg Castle to visit her dying mother, Louis joined her 6 hours later, Joan now in her late 50's died that evening, her last words were, "My dear family, move on without me, you don't need me anymore, your all adults." Joan and Louis where devastated, Louis was in his 50's and already outlived his wife. Phillip of France, was coroniated along with his wife, "King and Queen of Navarre." Louis was advised to remarry even though he did not wan't to, he wen't bride-shopping to many different kingdoms.

## Second marriage

An advisor took Louis to Portugal in an attempt to marry Louis, to Infanta Elizabeth of Portugal, Elizabeth despised Louis and refused the offer. Louis then wen't to Aragon, to attempt to marry Constance of Aragon, Constance was way to Pious to wan't to marry. Louis then stated he did not wan't to remarry, and he would remain single. But Lord Robert brought Robert North to Denmark, when Louis arrived, many nobles made there daughters look good, in hopes Louis would marry them, but Louis walked in, and brought his diary and started jotting, the confused Danish nobles and king started looking at him, they stared at him for 1 hour, until he stood up on a deck, and declared "I arrived to find a madame to marry." Then the Danish king Valdemar I of Denmark, smiled and said " Det gjorde du bestemt," which is Danish for "You certainly did." Valdmar offered his 16 year old daughter Ingeborg of Denmark, Louis and Ingeborg had a decent connection, and 8 hours into there talk, Louis proposed to Ingeborg with a ring customly made for her, Ingeborg accepted the proposal, and Valdemar gave Ingeborg a 1,000 euro dowry, along with a manor in eastern Denmark, Valdemar was created high vassal of state in France and was granted "Knight of the French Garter" in France. Ingeborg was crowned Queen of France, Duchess of Brabant, Duchess of Berry, Duchess of Bourbon, Duchess of Orléans, Countess of Hallwin, Countess of Flanders, Countess of Paris, Countess of Úzes, Countess of Piney, Countess of Soissons, Countess of Maurienne, and Princess of Antioch. Ingeborg was hated by her step-children, but she barely saw them and lived a peaceful life in her new Palace, which was called the Château Bayard, Ingeborg was also gifted the County of Nevers, she was the 2nd woman to every hold the title Countess of Nevers in her own right.

## 12th Crusade

Louis's wife was pregnant with Louis's 5th child by now, and the Pope called for the 12th Crusade to start, Ingeborg was left in charge of France, and Louis headed for the Holy land's, Ingeborg was an interesting woman, a Spanish ambassador to France said, Ingeborg wanted her step-children to die, she wanted her own children to succeed Louis, and she twice attempted the poison her step-son, but Louis VIII did not care that his wife tried to poison Charles, Louis had a feud with Charles over money before he left to save the Holy land's. Louis wore Ingeborg's colors (Which were Black an Orange) on Crusade, he crusaded north to Jerusalem, he stole a lot of money for Ingeborg, and then headed north for Turkey, he met his 31 year old half-niece Robert II of Sicily, Robert and Louis did not fight like Robert I and Louis VIII, and they marched together, Louis jotted down his memeories when he wen't on a boat to Romania, he started to think of his mother Eleanor who had long been dead, he thought of his sister Blanche who died many years ago, Louis even wrote of Joan I of Navarre and the wedding, he then he wrote down the fights Louis had with Robert when he was 19. When he arrived, he felt to much nastolgia, the knights had to wake him up from his day-dreaming, Louis slayed the overlord trying to take Romania, Louis wen't home, and gifted Ingeborg everything he stolen, Ingeborg had already had twins while Louis was away, the twins were Phillipa and Isabella. Louis and Ingeborg raised them at court.

## Death and will

Louis fell ill with fever, Louis did not wan't Charles to inherit France because of his greed, he also did not wan't his youngest son with Queen Joan, Prince Charles of France to inherit either, so he tried to make his youngest son with Ingeborg, Louis of France become the next King, but the nobles refused, Louis instead stated, the 26 year old Charles will inherit France, the 23 year old Prince Charles would inherit Orléans, and the youngest son, who was 11, Louis would inherit Toron, and Antioch, this plan wen't forward. Louis screamed Ingeborg's name when he was about to die in 4 hours, Ingeborg arrived with flowers, Louis gave Ingeborg 8,000 euros, and her own establishment in Flanders, when the 13th Crusade was starting, he then told Ingeborg to take Louis to Antioch and teach him how to crusade, he then gave Ingeborg his diary, because he feared his children would sell the diary for money, Louis died in Ingeborg's hands, when Ingeborg told Charles Louis had passed away, Charles was delighted. Charles walked in and stole Louis's crown and rings and declared himself King of France, Louis was burried in St. Denis Bascilla, where his wife Joan I was burried in Louis's chapel. Louis's half-brother King John came to the funeral and he was known for outliving most of his family.