large/11381/thestoryofoldfrance_1704_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldfrance_36_guerber_64kb_6
large/11381/thestoryofoldfrance_1704_librivox_64kb_mp3/oldfrance_36_guerber_64kb
English
11381
Only the news of Queen Blanche's death could deter  mine Louis to leave Palestine. On his way home his ship ran against a rock, and it seemed for a while as if all on board would perish. ONLY THE NEWS OF QUEEN BLANCHE'S DEATH COULD DETERMINE LOUIS TO LEAVE PALESTINE ON HIS WAY HOME HIS SHIP RAN AGAINST A ROCK AND IT SEEMED FOR A WHILE AS IF ALL ON BOARD WOULD PERISH
eize 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. 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. 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 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
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