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215 Chapter V LOUIS VI I LOIJIS IX, BLANCHE OF CASTILE AND THE RELIGIOUS ORDERS 1. Louis VIII and the Monastic Orders With the advent of Louis VIII (1223-6) to the French throne the chroniclers declared in a grandiose way that the crown was reverting to the Carolingian line, for the King's mother, Philip-Augustus' first wife, Isabelle de Hainault, was descended from the counts of Namur who were linked with the Carolingians. Glues de Paris wrote a poem addressed to Louis suggesting that he should take Charlemagne, his ancestor, as his model.1 Despite his lineage, however, Louis was not an impressive figure. The I chronicler of Tours describes him as small and pale but very much the lettered man, and Rigord dedicated his Gesta Philippi Augusti, William the Breton his 2 Philippide to him because of his love of learning. Matthew Paris commented that he resembled his father very little. 3 Probably this was because he appeared somewhat more pious, and with a far greater interest in spiritual affairs. k Yet in many ways his short reign marked a continuation of Philip's policies, and this is true of his relationship with the church. He had a firm grip on the political realities of the situation. Bishops and abbots continued to act as royal councillors and to co-operate with the crown - it was only with the Norman clergy that the king quarrelled over the issue of military service.5 I L.VIII, pp . l2-l 3; M.L.Colker, 'The Karolinus of Egidius Parisiensis', Traditio, 1973, pp.199-325, eap.
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