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Louis IX King of France
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Known also as the "Most Christian King" as well as the Crusader King, Louis IX, King of France, for whom our parish is named, was born to wealth and power in 1214. When he was only 12 his father, King Louis VIII, died and Louis IX was crowned King. At that time, his mother Queen Blanche of Castile, was declared regent and remained an important influence in his life.
Yet, despite his wealth and affluence, St. Louis spent his life crusading for justice, love and generosity. It was the poorest of the poor that were recipients of his charity and alms everyday. It is said that he always gave to beggars on his travels, and twice a week, money, bread and leftovers from the royal table were handed out. Every day 120 poor people ate in his household, 13 ate in the same room and three ate at his table.
Louis is often described as "one of the greatest of all French kings" because of his many accomplishments which included improving the tax system, simplifying administration, extending the appellate jurisdiction of the crown to all cases, encouraging the use of Roman Law, and building the first French navy.His strong sense of justice caused him to declare judicial combat illegal, fostering the development of court procedures to establish order.
Louis was considered by his family, friends, French nobles, and religious men and women to be a deeply pious and honorable man. He took a special interest in charitable institutions, regarding his kingly duties as part of his Christian vocation.
Louis was a devoted husband to his wife Margaret, and their 11 children, eight of whom lived to adulthood. Under his reign, France enjoyed unprecedented prosperity and peace.
He was also considered a brave, intrepid warrior and Louis led two Crusades to free the Holy Land, but neither was successful. His second Crusade in 1270 liberated thousands of Christian captives, but proved fatal to Louis when he became ill with typhus and died on August 25. Louis IX, embodied all the qualities of a Christian king, a crusader for peace by peaceful means and a knight for justice and right. He was officially proclaimed a saint in 1297.
Excerpts from "St. Louis, the most Christian king", by Mary Lou Gibson, Catholic Spirit, August 1992. Illustration of St. Louis, King of France by parishioner Irma Choate of Design Graphics in Cedar Park, Texas.