Louis IX was only twelve when his father, Louis VIII, died in 1226. It was up to his mother, Blanche of Castile, to preserve his throne through a tumultuous period of baronial rebellion. With a boy king and a female guardian, might it be possible to shake off the heavy hand of royal control? Through a combination of blunt force, deft negotiation, and subtle manipulation of her barons, Blanche had restored order and quelled any doubts about the crown's authority by the time she arranged Louis IX's marriage in 1234.
Marguerite of Provence
The bride, Marguerite, was the oldest child of the count and countess of Provence. She was probably thirteen in 1234; her husband was twenty. Although later hagiographers would praise Louis’ marital chastity, between 1240 and 1260 Marguerite gave birth to five daughters and six sons, including Isabelle in 1242 and Louis in 1244. That same year, Louis IX was desperately ill, and upon his recovery he vowed to go
