Tag Archives: Blanche of Castile

Day in History: Birth of Louis VIII the Lion

September 5, 2012 at 8:05 pm by Artemisia

Louis VIII of France earned his epithet “the Lion” for the courage he displayed on the battlefield, for seizing back many of the lands that were lost to the English (such as Avignon, Poitou, Saintonge, Languedoc) and for his strong, wilful character. Yet he is arguably most famous for being the only French Monarch who succeeded in invading most of England and claiming the English Throne, even if temporarily. Louis … Continue reading →