FRANCE.
Louis I., King of France. See Louis I., EMPEROR OF GERMANY.
Louis II., called the Stammerer, Kist of France; born in 846. He was tl son of Charles the Bald, was crowii, King of Aquitaine in 867, and succeed< d his father as King of France in 877 Died in Compiegne, in 879.
Louis III., King of France; born about 863. He was the son of the preceding and brother of Carloman, with whom he enjoyed the kingdom. Died without issue in 882.
Louis IV., surnamed d'Outremer, Kin; of France; born in 921. He was the son of Charles the Simple and ascended the throne in 936. He invaded Normandy, but was defeated and taken prisoner in 944. He regained his liberty the follow ing year. He died of a fall from his horse in 954.
Louis V., surnamed the Faineant (do nothing), King of France; born in 966. He succeeded his father Lothaire in 986. He died in 987.
Louis VI., called the Big, King of France; born about 1078. He was the son of Philip I., and succeeded to the throne in 1108. His reign was disturbed by wars with the Normans, and also by feu Is among his vassals. He also quar reled with Henry I. of England, and thus were commenced the wars betweea the English and French which lasted during three centuries. He died in 1137.
Louis VII., King of France; born about 1120. He was the son and suc cessor of the preceding. He had a dis pute with Pope Innocent II., on the right of presenting to benefices, and was ex communicated by that pontiff. After a reconciliation Louis, by the persuasion-, of St. Bernard, engaged in a crusade, but was defeated by Saladin. Having divorced his queen, Eleanor, she married Henry of Normandy, afterward Henry II. of England, to whom she brought, as her dower, the provinces of and Guienne. This produced a new war between England and France, which lasted, with little intermission, for 21 years. He died in 1180.
Louis VIII., named the Lion, King of France; born in 1187. He was the son of Philip Augustus and his queen Isabella of Hainault. He attempted, unsuccess fully, to aid the English barons against King John, and withdrew to France in September, 1217. He succeeded his father in 1223, and in the following year recovered most of the English posses sions in France, in spite of papal ex communications. In 1226 he undertook a crusade against Raymond, Count of Toulouse, and the Albigenses, and died in Auvergne in November of the same year. He had married, in 1200, Blanche of Castile, by whom he had seven sons and one daughter.
Louis IX., or Saint Louis, King of France; born in Poissy, France, April 25, 1214. He succeeded his father, Louis
VIII., in 1226. In 1243 Louis defeated the English in several engagements, and a truce for five years was concluded. Having made a vow, in the event of re covering from a dangerous disease, to march against the infidels in the Holy Land, he made preparations for doing so, and in 1248 embarked at Aigues Mortes with an army of 50,000 men, accompanied by his queen, his brothers, and almost all the chivalry of France. The expedition failed and Louis was taken prisoner. He was ransomed and embarked with about 6,000 men, the sole remains of his fine army, for Acre and spent four years more in Palestine. On his return to France he applied himself to the government of his kingdom with exemplary diligence, and ruled with impartiality and moder ation. He undertook a second crusade, and died of the plague while besieging Tunis in 1270. Louis was canonized by Boniface VIII. in 1297, and his life was written by his friend, the Sire de Join ville.
Louis X., surnamed Hutin (an old French term for quarrelsome), King of France; born in Paris in 1289. He suc ceeded Philip the Fair, his father, in 1314, being King of Navarre before, in right of his mother. Died in Vincennes, in 1316.
Louis XI., King of France; born in Bourges, France, July 3, 1425. He was the son of Charles VII. Active, bold, and cunning, he was in all respects unlike his father. He engaged in several con spiracies against his father and was obliged to live in exile for many years. On the death of his father, in 1461, he dismissed the former ministers, and filled their places with obscure men with out character or talents to recommend them. Insurrections broke out in various parts of his dominions; but they were soon quelled, and followed by many executions. In everything he did, his crooked policy and sinister views were evident. He became involved in a war with Charles the Bold, Duke of Bur gundy, which lasted 1465-1472. A peace was concluded on favorable terms for Charles and his allies; but when Louis returned to Paris he used every artifice to evade its fulfillment. The great object of Louis was the establishment of the royal power and the overthrow of the feudal aristocracy; but it is almost im possible to convey a just idea of his character, so contradictory were its qual ities. He was at once confiding and suspicious, avaricious and lavish, auda cious and timid, mild and cruel. He died in Plessis-les-Tours, near Tours, France, Aug. 30, 1483.