History |
BIOGRAPHY
Louis was born in 1120, the son of Louis VI \'the Fat\', king of France, and Adèle of Savoie. In 1131, at the age of eleven, he was anointed as his father\'s successor; and when his father died in 1137 he became sole ruler of France. In the same year he married Eleanore de Poitou, duchess of Aquitaine, so extending the Capetingian lands to the Pyrenees. Louis and Eleanore had three children of whom a son was still born and two daughters would have progeny.
He continued his father\'s program of appointing trustworthy people of lower origin to the administration of his government, so improving the prestige of the monarchy. From 1141 to 1143 he was involved in a fruitless conflict with Thibaut, count of Champagne, and with the papacy. After this period his relations with the popes improved to such an extent that he supported Pope Alexander II against Emperor Friedrich I Barbarossa and even allowed the pope refuge in France.
In 1163 the construction began of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. It would take until 1235 before it was finished.
The main threats to his kingdom came from Geoffrey, count of Anjou, and later from Geoffrey\'s son, the future Henry II, king of England. When Louis VII went on crusade he took his wife with him. However, on their return he divorced her, the grounds officially being consanguinity, but the reasons were her rumoured affairs. Almost immediately she married King Henry II of England, taking Aquitaine with her. Louis VII then married Constance of Castile, with whom he had two daughters of whom Alix would have progeny. When Constance died he married Alix de Champagne who became the mother of his son and heir, the future King Philippe II August.
Louis VII might have defeated King Henry II had he made a concerted attack instead of the half-hearted attacks on Normandy; at the same time France was spared attacks from the Anglo-Normans because of their internal quarrels. Louis also benefited from the long-standing quarrel between Henry II and Thomas à Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, and from a revolt by Henry\'s sons. [1] |