Editing Charles I of Anjou (section)

==Early life==

===Childhood===

Charles was the youngest child of King [[Louis VIII of France]] and [[Blanche of Castile]].{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|pp=10–11}} The date of his birth has not survived, but he was probably born [[posthumous birth|posthumously]] in early 1227.{{#tag:ref|The historian [[Peter Herde]] notes that Charles may have also been identical with the first son of Louis VIII and Blanche born in 1226, Stephen, or with the unnamed son who was born in late 1226. If Charles was identical with Stephen, he must have changed his name before the late 1230s.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=10}}|group=note}}{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=10}}{{sfn|Runciman|1958|p=71}} Charles was Louis' only surviving son to be "[[born in the purple]]" (after his father's coronation), a fact he often emphasised in his youth, as the contemporaneous chronicler [[Matthew Paris]] noted in his {{lang|lt|[[Chronica Majora]]}}.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=10}} He was the first [[Capet]]ian to be named for [[Charlemagne]].{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=10}}

[[File:Charles of Anjou from BnF fr. 844.png|thumb|right|alt=A knight on horseback, sword raised|Charles depicted alongside his composition {{lang|oc|Li granz desire et la douce pensée}} in the {{lang|fr|[[Chansonnier du Roi]]}}]]

Louis VIII died in November 1226 and his eldest son, [[Louis IX]], succeeded him. The late King willed that his youngest sons were to be prepared for a career in the [[Roman Catholic Church]].{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|pp=3, 10}} The details of Charles's tuition are unknown, but he received a good education.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=11}}{{sfn|Runciman|1958|p=72}} He understood the principal Catholic doctrines and could identify errors in Latin texts.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|pp=11–12}} His passion for poetry, medical sciences, and law is well documented.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=11}}{{sfn|Runciman|1958|p=72}}

Charles later said that his mother had a strong impact on her children's education;{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|pp=10–11}} in reality, Blanche was fully engaged in state administration, and could likely spare little time for her youngest children.{{sfn|Runciman|1958|p=71}}{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=11}} Charles lived at the court of a brother, [[Robert I, Count of Artois]], from 1237.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=11}} About four years later he was put into the care of his youngest brother, [[Alphonse, Count of Poitiers]].{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=11}} His participation in his brothers' military campaign against [[Hugh X of Lusignan]], Count of La Marche, in 1242 showed that he was no longer destined for a Church career.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=11}}

===Provence and Anjou===

[[Raymond Berengar V of Provence]] died in August 1245,{{sfn|Cox|1974|pp=145–146}} bequeathing [[List of rulers of Provence|Provence]] and [[County of Forcalquier|Forcalquier]] to his youngest daughter, [[Beatrice of Provence|Beatrice]], allegedly because he had given generous [[dowries]] to her three sisters.{{sfn|Cox|1974|pp=146, 151}}{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=42}} The dowries were actually not fully discharged,{{sfn|Runciman|1958|p=72}} causing two of her sisters, [[Margaret of Provence|Margaret]] (Louis IX's wife) and [[Eleanor of Provence|Eleanor]] (the wife of [[Henry III of England]]), to believe that they had been unlawfully disinherited.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=42}} Their mother, [[Beatrice of Savoy]], claimed that Raymond Berengar had willed the [[usufruct]] of Provence to her.{{sfn|Cox|1974|pp=145–146}}{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=42}}

The Hohenstaufen [[Emperor Frederick II]] (whom [[Pope Innocent IV]] had recently [[Excommunication in the Catholic Church|excommunicated]] for his alleged "crimes against the Church"), [[Count Raymond VII of Toulouse]] and other neighbouring rulers proposed themselves or their sons as husbands for the young Countess.{{sfn|Cox|1974|pp=142, 147}} Her mother put her under the protection of the Holy See.{{sfn|Cox|1974|p=147}} Louis IX and Margaret suggested that Beatrice should be given in marriage to Charles.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=42}} To secure the support of France against Frederick II, Pope Innocent IV accepted their proposal.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=42}} Charles hurried to [[Aix-en-Provence]] at the head of an army to prevent other suitors from invading Provence, and married Beatrice on 31{{nbs}}January 1246.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=42}}{{sfn|Cox|1974|p=152}}{{sfn|Cox|1974|p=153}} Provence was a part of the [[Kingdom of Arles]] and so of the [[Holy Roman Empire]],{{sfn|Runciman|1958|p=73}} but Charles never swore fealty to the emperor.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=44}} He ordered a survey of the counts' rights and revenues, outraging both his subjects and his mother-in-law, who regarded this action as an attack against her rights.{{sfn|Runciman|1958|p=73}}{{sfn|Cox|1974|p=160}}

Being a younger child, destined for a church career, Charles had not received an [[appanage]] (a hereditary county or duchy) from his father.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=12}} Louis VIII had willed that his fourth son, John, should receive [[County of Anjou|Anjou]] and [[County of Maine|Maine]] upon reaching the age of majority, but John died in 1232.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|pp=12–13}} Louis IX knighted Charles at [[Melun]] in May 1246 and three months later bestowed Anjou and Maine on him.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=13}}{{sfn|Takayama|2004|p=78}} Charles rarely visited his two counties and appointed [[bailli]]es (or regents) to administer them.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=30}}

While Charles was absent from Provence, [[Marseille]], [[Arles]] and [[Avignon]]—three wealthy cities, directly subject to the emperor—formed a league and appointed a Provençal nobleman, [[Barral of Baux]], as the commander of their combined armies.{{sfn|Runciman|1958|p=73}} Charles's mother-in-law put the disobedient Provençals under her protection.{{sfn|Runciman|1958|p=73}} Charles could not deal with the rebels as he was about to join [[Seventh Crusade|his brother's crusade]].{{sfn|Runciman|1958|p=73}} To pacify his mother-in-law he acknowledged her right to rule Forcalquier and granted a third of his revenues from Provence to her.{{sfn|Runciman|1958|p=73}}

===Seventh Crusade===

[[File:Mansura.jpg|thumb|right|alt=A mounted knight fights against footmen, while a crowned man is carried from the battlefield.|The crusaders' defeat in the [[Battle of Mansurah (1250)|Battle of Al Mansurah]], forcing them to abandon the invasion of Egypt. During the withdrawal, the Egyptians captured Charles and his two brothers, [[Louis IX of France]] and [[Alphonse of Poitiers]].]]

In December 1244 Louis IX took a vow to lead a crusade.{{sfn|Asbridge|2012|p=580}} Ignoring their mother's strong opposition, his three brothers—Robert, Alphonse and Charles—also took the cross.{{sfn|Asbridge|2012|pp=580–581}} Preparations for the crusade lasted for years, with the crusaders embarking at [[Aigues-Mortes]] on 25{{nbs}}August 1248.{{sfn|Asbridge|2012|p=580}}{{sfn|Lock|2006|p=10}} After spending several months in [[Kingdom of Cyprus|Cyprus]] they invaded [[Egypt in the Middle Ages|Egypt]] on 5{{nbs}}June 1249.{{sfn|Lock|2006|pp=177–178}} They captured [[Damietta]] and decided to attack [[Cairo]] in November.{{sfn|Lock|2006|p=178}} During their advance Louis's biographer [[Jean de Joinville]] noted Charles's personal courage which saved dozens of crusaders' lives.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=194}} Robert of Artois died [[Battle of Mansurah (1250)|fighting against the Egyptians at Al Mansurah]]. His three brothers survived, but they had to abandon the campaign. While withdrawing from Egypt, they fell into captivity on 6{{nbs}}April 1250.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=194}}{{sfn|Lock|2006|p=108}} The Egyptians released Louis, Charles and Alphonse in exchange for 800,000 [[bezant]]s and the surrender of Damietta on 6{{nbs}}May.{{sfn|Lock|2006|p=108}} During their voyage to [[Acre (city)|Acre]],{{sfn|Lock|2006|p=108}} Charles outraged Louis by gambling while the king was mourning Robert's death.{{sfn|Dunbabin|1998|p=194}} Louis remained in the [[Holy Land]], but Charles returned to France in October 1250.{{sfn|Runciman|1958|p=73}}