Louis VIII of France
Louis VIII ("The Lion") (September 5, 1187 - November 8, 1226) reigned as King of France from 1223 to 1226. He was a member of the Capetian dynasty. Louis was born in Paris, France, the son of King Philippe II Auguste and Isabelle of Hainaut.
As a prince, Louis won battles against the armies of King John of England. In 1216 the English barons rebelled against the very unpopular King John and offered the throne to Louis. In May of 1216, Prince Louis of France and his army invaded England, but after a year and a half of war, Louis had to give up on his desire to become the King of England and signed the Treaty of Lambeth.
Louis succeeded his father on July 14, 1223; his coronation took place on August 6 of the same year in the cathedral at Reims. As king, he continued to seek revenge on the Angevins and seized Poitou and Saintonge from them in 1224. There followed the seizure of Avignon and Languedoc.
While returning to Paris, King Louis became ill with dysentery, and died on November 8, 1226 in the chateau at Montpensier, Auvergne.
The Saint Denis Basilica houses the tomb of Louis VIII. His son, Louis IX, succeeded him on the throne.
Marriage
On May 23, 1200, at the age of twelve, Louis married Blanche of Castile (March 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)
- Alphonse of Toulouse - (November 11, 1220 - August 21, 1271)
- Philippe Dagobert - (February 20, 1222 - 1232)
- Isabelle - (June 1225 - February 23, 1269)
- Etienne - (born and died 1226)
- Charles I of Sicily - (March 1227 - January 7, 1285)
