Louis IX of France
Biography
Canonized 1297, the only French king sainted. He bought the Crown of Thorns, Sainte Chapelle built to house it. Reformed justice, the oak of Vincennes where any could petition, banned private wars, ordeal trials. Crusade to Egypt ended in capture, ransom, second crusade died of disease at Tunis. The paragon of Christian kingship, even Muslim biographers praised him.
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