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Louis VII

Explore the revival of royal power under Louis VII, the consolidation of Capetian rule, and the reign's challenges and achievements. Uncover the historical debates surrounding the French monarchy's growth.

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Louis VII

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  1. Louis VII 1137-1180

  2. The laterCapetiankingsRevival of royal power between1108-1226

  3. Rise of the French monarchy- Louis VI, Louis VII, Philip II ‘Augustus’, (Louis VIII) When Louis VIII (great-grandson of Louis VI) died in 1226, royal lands included a well-disciplined and well-administered royal principality, togetherwith the duchy ofNormandy, the counties of Maine and Anjou and most of Poitou. • The king’ssuzerainty – whatwas the king’s position? • The king and the French church • Consolidation of power

  4. Capetian royal power

  5. Historiographyhistoricaldebate over the rise of the French monarchy • Reminder of historicaldebate . . . Was the Capetian revival an inevitabledevelopment? • Seemaps pages 163, 175 & 352 of text book • The earlyCapetianmonarchs (Hugh Capet and his descendants) laid the foundations of ‘theoretical’ power of the laterCapetiankings (Louis VI, Louis VII, Philip II ‘ Augustus’ & Louis VIII). • Also….. See notes for Louis VI and the revival of Capetian power in the 12th century….

  6. Character of Louis VII • Chroniclers descriptions • Stephen of Paris described Louis VII as «pious» and «a man of religion whosefaith shone out fromhim» • Odo of Deuil said of Louis « A just man with simple tastes but with a high view of monarchy» • Walter Map (English writer) « a lover of justice» (Compare to Henry I of England, described as a «lion of justice»)

  7. Historiansviews of Louis VII • Historianslessenthusiasticthan Louis’ contemporaries • «a colourlessnonentity». . . • Key advisors - under the heavy influence first of Eleanor of Aquitaine, Abbot Suger of Saint Denis and then Bernard of Clairvaux • Committed a dangerouspoliticalerror in allowing the formation of hte Angevin Empire.

  8. Revisionistsview • Pacaut and Sassier • Louis VII wasrespected for hisuprightcharacter and piety • He became more resolute in the second part of hisreign . . . a time whenhesuccessfullyconsolidatedhisdomain (demesne)

  9. Capetianstronghold

  10. Heir to the throne? • Louis was the second son of Louis VI. What made himheir to the throne? • Whyisthispotentiallysignificant? • Weaknesses as a ruler? • ….. • Easilyinfluenced and capable of bothdeeds of impetuousrashness and of periods of lassitude and indecisiveactivity (EVIDENCE)

  11. Strengths • Civil War in England . . . • Domestichostilitiesbetween Stephen and Geoffrey the Fair of Anjou and hiswife the Empress Matilda (daughter of Henry I of England and mother of Henry II) over the title to the kingdom of England and duchy of Normandy made Louis in a strong position at the time. • Marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine, heiress to the duchy in 1137.

  12. EconomicGrowth and prosperity

  13. Urban and rural communities • Quickening of in the economic life becamewidespread in the second half of the 11th century and the whole of the 12th century. • Coinagewascirculatingwidely in much of France. • Urbancommunitieswerebecomingincreasingly important in the 12th century. • Trade in salt and winewasincreasing and the marchands de l’eau didwellunder royal protection. • From 1180 (reign of Philip II ‘Augustus’) the growth of Paris couldbedemonstrated by pavedstreets, a larger area surrounded by newlybuiltwalls (1189-90), the construction of the Louvre castle and the emergence of the university of Paris from the schools.(Seedetails in Monarchies booklet)

  14. Louis VII’s Main threats • 1138 Poitou Rebellion • Theobald of Blois-Champagne refused to give Louis VII aid to crush the rebellion – mountinghostilitybetweenthem • Rift widened by marital problems of Raoul*, count of Vermandois, Louis’ seneschal. • 1142-3 - parts of Champagne burned and ravagedwithextremeferocity (William of Saint-Thierry). • Culminated in the burning of the churchatVirty, with 1,500 people caught in the flames.

  15. Furtherthreats • Whilst disputes withTheobaldcontinuedwith Bernard of Clairvaux and Suger acting as peace-makers Geoffrey the FairhadoverrunNormandy. • Louis negotiatedwith Geoffrey – how?

  16. Break in Louis VII’sreign • Louis movedawayfrom Eleanor of Aquitaine’s influence and came underthat of Bernard of Clairvaux and Abbot Suger • Historial debate – historians (Pacaut and Sassier) saw the break as comingafter Louis’ crusade – an attempt by the king to regain hislostreputationafter the burning of Vitry. • Petit-Dutaillis has suggested the burning of Vitry was a shockwhichtransformed the king.

  17. The Second Crusade

  18. Reasons for going on crusade • Regain hisreputationafter the burningat Vitry • Zeal for the Christian faith (Odo of Deuil) and longing to save the Holy Places • Political humiliations at home neededredeeming (Louis VII was the first kinginvovleddirectly in a crusade) • Western armyneeded to relieve the kingdom of Jerusalem. 1144 fall of Edessa. Melisende, queenregent of Jerusalem, wrote to Pope Eugenius III asking for help.

  19. Vezalay – Easter 1146 • Bernard of Clairvaux preached the Second Crusadewithdramaticsuccess. • The Emperor Conrad II joined the western forces.

  20. Whowasleft as regent?Whatproblemsexisted? • Abbot Suger Problems • Louis’ brother, Robert of Dreux, hadreturnedfrom the East and wasplottingwith a group of dissident nobles to take over the throne. Solution • Suger called an assembly of the French nobility 1149 (Soissons) and remindedthem of theirduty to the absent king. • Threat of rebelliondied down.

  21. Financial state of the kingdom • Costs of the crusade • Easter 1149 Suger called on Louis to return to France • 1151 – Suger retired to Saint-Denis and diedthere. • Suger had been a valuedadministrator and loyal counsellor to Louis VII (and to Louis VI).

  22. Problems on return fromcrusade • Build-up of Angevin power in Normandy – whywasthis a problem? • Whatdid Louis do? • Put forwardEustace, Stephen’s son against Henry (son of Geoffrey the Fair and Matilda) whohad been given the duchy of Normandy, and wagedwar. • 1151 peacewas made with Geoffrey and Henry. Louis gained the Norman Vexin including Gisors.

  23. Personal and politicaldisaster • Rift between Louis VII and hiswife Eleanor of Aquitaine. Why? • 1152 the council of Beaugency declared the marriagenull and void on grounds of consanguinity. • A few monthslater Henry Plantagenet (now count of Anjou on death of hisfather Geoffrey the Fair in 1151) married Eleanor.

  24. Louis VII and Henry II of EnglandThe significance of Homage • When Henry becameking of Englandhewasalso the greatestlandholder in France. His lands overshadowedthose of his suzerain the French king– eclipsedhim. • Henry paidhomage to Louis for his French lands in 1156. Why? • Capetians must have felt the Plantegenetthreat • Did Henry have designs on the French crown? • Louis (until the birth of Philip in 1165) had no male heirs…. Whywasthis a problem?

  25. Homage – feudal obligations? • Henry carried out acts of homage to Louis VII and Philip for Normandy in 1169 and 1183. • Most of themwereperformed on the borders. • Whatwas the function of suchhomage? • Whogainedfromtheseacts of homage?

  26. The build-up of CapetiansuzeraintyThe importance of homage • Henry’s sons and theirhomage to the Capetians: • Henry the Young king in 1160 • Richard in 1188 and 1189 • Arthur of Brittany in 1199 • John in 1200 Whyweretheseacts of homage (collectively) important? How and whydidHenry’s sons use theseacts of homage? How didthey help the Capetians in the revival of royal power vis-a-vis the Angevin Empire?

  27. Louis VII – phases of hisreign • First phase – effective in militaryterms • After the accession of Henry II to the throne of England(withhisvast dominions in France) War and negotiation - whynegotiation? • Influence of the Cistercians (order of monks) and other ecclesiastics • The Capetianswereknown as «most Christian kings».

  28. Louis VII and Henry II of Englandphases of Louis’sreign • Late 1150s Plantegent power continued to expand – Louis athisweakest • Death of Henry’sbrother Geoffrey (Lord of Nantes). Henry claimedoverlordship of Brittany and overranit. Louis put up no resistance • 1159 Henry tried to take Toulouse – Louis tookfirm action…. • Betrothal of Henry’s son and heir, the young Henry to Louis’sdaughter Margaret

  29. Louis VII and Henry II of England • 1162 Henry celebrated the marriage of the young couple and seized the Norman Vexin, Margaret’sdowry, for himself. • Resulted in open rupture with Louis • 1160s Louis began to build up supporters againsthis rival, Henry II of England • Marriage to Adela of Champagne – a male heir Alliance of Louis with Henry of count of Champagne • Dukes of Burgundyfavourablyinclinedtowards Louis VII • Louis alsohad a following of nobles in the Languedoc.

  30. French kings and the princes of Francerevival of royal power • Gradualacknowledgement of king’srole as suzerain – obligations • Military service (more common in later 11th century and continued revival in 12th) • Leadinglay and ecclesiasticalmagnatesbegan to sitwith the king and makejudgements as peers of the realm. • The princes began to attend royal councils more frequentlyduring 12th century (numberswerelimited) 1111, 1124 (militarygathering)1128 1130 (under Louis VI).

  31. French kings and the princes of France • 1146 major council (under Louis VII) • Princes and great nobles appeared far more frequentlyat court: • 1152 at Beaugency when Louis VII divorced Eleanor of Aquitaine • 1155 at Soissons • 1173 at Paris • 1178 at Reims for the coronation of the young Philip Augustus • Princes whoattended and endorsed royal decisionsweredescribed in royal charters as ‘barones’ • Royal counsellorsdrawnfrom the nobilityratherthan the royal householdbegan to appear(compare to developments in English governmentunder Henry I)

  32. Louis VII and the Church • 1159 Papal Schism • 1164 – ecclesiasticalrefugee in France – Archbishop Thomas Becket of England Louis VII an ally of the church – his opposition to Henry II wasgiven a moral dimension • 1170murder of Becket Henry blamed by all Christendom • Louis gainedgreatgeneralapproval (hehadprotected the martyr) • 1170-1180 - Last decade of Louis VII’sreign – muchstrengthened moral position • Louis’ opposition to Henry and his sons became more effective, eventhough the royal principalitywasovershadowed by the Planteganet lands.

  33. Louis VII and hisrole in the rebellion of 1173-4 against Henry II of England • Whatwas Louis’ role in the rebellion of the Young king and hisbrothers in 1173-4? • Did Louis campaignagainst Henry? • 1174 – Peace – whatwasLouis’sroleafterHenry’svictory in 1174?

  34. Final phase of Louis VII’sreign • More peaceful • 1179 – greatassembly of lay and ecclesiasticalmagnates in Paris – his son Philip was elected, anointed and crowned as his successor. • 1180 - Louis VII, the oldking, diedhavingjustmanaged to control Angevin power.

  35. Syllabus expectations - connections betweenEnglish and French monarchsEssay questions • Duchy of Normandy, development and relations with, and effects on, France. • Rivalries – dukes of Normandy as kings of England and the kings of France. • French royal power under the Capetian dynasty: Louis VI (1108-37); Louis VII (1137-80) and Philip II ‘Augustus’ (1180-1223). • Comparison of royal government: England and France. • ‘Assess the successes and failures of Louis VII, King of France, from 1137-1180 (Nov 2011).’

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