The Boy Crusaders

ersonages like Frederick, Emperor of Germany, and our first great Edward, who far excelled him in genius and prowess-as wise rulers in peace and mighty chiefs in war-his saintliness,

briefly to the character and career of the good and pious king, who, in the midst of

ly for the young monarch Providence had blessed him with a mother, who, whatever her faults and failings-and chroniclers have not spared her reputation-brought to the terrible task of governing in a feudal age a high spirit and a strong will, and applied herself earnestly to the duty of bringing up her son in the way in which he should walk, and educating him in such a manner as to prepare him for executing the high functions which he was destined to fulfil. While, with the aid of her c

ee my son in his grave, than learn

at was wrong, raised the wonder of his contemporaries. He passed much of his time in devotional exercises, and, when not occupied with religious duties, ever conducted himself as if with a consciousness that the eye of his Maker was upon him, and that he would one day have to g

nopolise his time or attention as to neglect the duties which devolved upon him as king. The reverse was the case. Afte

overnment of France, formed a confederacy against the throne, and invited Henry to conduct an army to the Continent. Everything seemed so promising, and the confederacy so formidable, that Henry, unable to resist the temptation of recovering Normandy and Anjou, cr

the banks of the Charente, he offered the confederates battle, near the bridge of Taillebourg; but his challenge was not accepted. By this time the confederates had lost faith in their enterprise; and while De la M

provoked. At all events, on reaching Saintonge, the English turned to bay, and a battle began. But the odds were overwhelming; and, thou

and neither foreign kings nor continental counts cared to disturb his government or defy his power. In fact, the fa

attending, with exemplary regularity, to his religious devotions, and keeping watch over the security of his

castle of Hieros, in Provence

ut from want of justice being duly administered. Now,' continued the friar, 'I perceive the king is going to France; let him administer justice with care, that our Lord may

nged by their more powerful neighbours. On summer days, after hearing mass, he was in the habit of repairing to the gardens of his palace, seating himself on a carpet, and listening to such as wished to appeal to him

' and when there were several who wished to be heard, he would add, 'My friends

en in Europe, and whose countess, Beatrice of Savoy, was even more accomplished than her husband; Raymond and Beatrice had four daughters, all remarkable for their wit and beauty, and all destined to be queens. Of these four daughters, the eldest, Marga

ersonal liberty. In fact, Queen Blanche was too fond of power to allow that which she had acquired to be needlessly imperilled; and, apprehensive that the young queen should gain too much influence with the king, she deliberately kept the royal pair separate. Nothing, indeed, could exceed the domestic tyranny under which they suffered. When Louis and Margaret made royal progresses, Blanche of Ca

she, sternly; 'you

u not allow me to see my husband, either when I am livin

een-mother that events occurred which fired Louis with the idea of undertaking a crusade, and gave Margaret an excellen

h had so thoroughly prostrated him, that at times his attendants bel

of Castille, when she came to

has, out of gratitude for his recovery, taken

terrified, 'I am struck as fear