large/11381/thestoryofoldfrance_1704_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldfrance_36_guerber_64kb_14
large/11381/thestoryofoldfrance_1704_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldfrance_36_guerber_64kb
English
11381
During his absence, Queen Blanche had many troubles to contend against. Not only were the noblemen restive, but the peasants, hearing that their beloved king was in danger, took it into their heads to fly to his rescue. Forming what is known as the "Crusade of the Shep  herds," they started out without means, and without any knowledge of the difficulties of the journey. Although Digitized by Google 132 OLD FRANCE Queen Blanche took prompt measures to stop them, she succeeded only after great numbers had perished. DURING HIS ABSENCE QUEEN BLANCHE HAD MANY TROUBLES TO CONTEND AGAINST NOT ONLY WERE THE NOBLEMEN RESTIVE BUT THE PEASANTS HEARING THAT THEIR BELOVED KING WAS IN DANGER TOOK IT INTO THEIR HEADS TO FLY TO HIS RESCUE FORMING WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE CRUSADE OF THE SHEPHERDS THEY STARTED OUT WITHOUT MEANS OR WITHOUT ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THE DIFFICULTIES OF THE JOURNEY ALTHOUGH QUEEN BLANCHE TOOK PROMPT MEASURES TO STOP THEM SHE SUCCEEDED ONLY AFTER GREAT NUMBERS HAD PERISHED
ations were taking place. Queen Mar- garet had remained in Damietta, where the news of her husband's defeat and captivity reached her just as she had given birth to a little prince. Fearing lest the enemy might take possession of the city before she was able to leave it, she called an aged knight to her bedside, and bade him keep guard over her, saying, " Sir knight, I request on the oath you have sworn, that, should the Saracens storm this town and take it, you will cut off my head before you will allow them to seize my person." The loyal knight simply answered, "Madam, I had already decided to do so." He kept guard over her so faithfully that no harm came to her. After recovering his freedom, Louis IX. embarked with the remnant of his army for the maritime cities in the Holy Land, which he now placed in a good state of defense. There he remained four years, doing all he could to protect the Christians in the East, although his mother kept constantly writing, begging him to come home. WN RANSOM WHILE THESE NEGOTIATIONS WERE TAKING PLACE QUEEN MARGARET HAD REMAINED IN DAMNIETER WHERE THE NEWS OF HER HUSBAND'S DEFEAT AND CAPTIVITY REACHED HER JUST AS SHE HAD GIVEN BIRTH TO A LITTLE PRINCE FEARING LEST THE ENEMY MIGHT TAKE POSSESSION OF THE CITY BEFORE SHE WAS ABLE TO LEAVE IT SHE CALLED AN AGED KNIGHT TO HER BEDSIDE AND BADE HIM KEEP GUARD OVER HER SAYING SIR KNIGHT I REQUEST ON THE OATH YOU HAVE SWORN THAT SHOULD THE SARACEN STORM THIS TOWN AND TAKE IT YOU WILL CUT OFF MY HEAD BEFORE YOU ALLOW THEM TO SEIZE MY PERSON THE LOYAL KNIGHT SIMPLY ANSWERED MADAM I HAD ALREADY DECIDED TO DO SO HE KEPT GUARD OVER HER SO FAITHFULLY THAT NO HARM CAME TO HER AFTER RECOVERING HIS FREEDOM LOUIS THE NINTH EMBARKED WITH THE REMNANT OF HIS ARMY FOR THE MARITIME CITIES AND THE HOLY LAND WHICH HE NOW PLACED IN A GOOD STATE OF DEFENCE THERE HE REMAINED FOUR YEARS DOING ALL HE COULD TO PROTECT THE CHRISTIANS IN THE EAST ALTHOUGH HIS MOTHER KEPT CONSTANTLY WRITING BEGGING HIM TO COME HOME
large/11381/thestoryofoldfrance_1704_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldfrance_36_guerber_64kb
file
download/librilight/large/11381/thestoryofoldfrance_1704_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldfrance_36_guerber_64kb.flac