Editing Eighth Crusade (section)

===Campaign and the death of Louis IX===

On 2 July 1270, Louis' host finally embarked from [[Aigues-Mortes]].{{sfn|Lower|2018|pp=100–122|loc=The Crusade Begins}} The fleet was led by [[Florent de Varennes]], who was the first [[Admiral of France]], appointed in 1269. They sailed with a large, well-organized fleet, with the king stating:

{{blockquote|text="Déjà vieux, j'entreprends le voyage d'outremer. Je sacrifie pour Dieu richesse, honneurs, plaisirs... J'ai voulu vous donner ce dernier exemple et j'espère que vous le suivrez si les circonstances le commandent..."<ref>[http://www.netmarine.net/tradi/celebres/varennes/index.htm Florent de Varennes]. Net-Marine</ref>}}
Translated, Louis told his troops that: "Already old, I begin the overseas journey. I sacrifice to God wealth, honor, pleasure. I wanted to give you this last example and I hope you will follow it if circumstances dictate."
[[File:LouisIX Eighth Crusade..jpg|thumb|200px|Louis IX of France leading the Eighth Crusade]]
Accompanying Louis were his brother [[Alphonse, Count of Poitiers|Alphonse of Poitiers]] and his wife [[Joan, Countess of Toulouse|Joan of Toulouse]]. Also traveling with the king were his three surviving sons, [[Philip III of France]] (with his wife [[Isabella of Aragon, Queen of France|Isabella of Aragon]]), [[John Tristan, Count of Valois|John Tristran]] and [[Peter I, Count of Alençon|Peter I of Alençon]], and his nephew [[Robert II, Count of Artois|Robert II of Artois]]. Also participating were [[Robert III, Count of Flanders|Robert III of Flanders]], [[John I, Duke of Brittany|John I of Brittany]] and [[Hugh XII of Lusignan|Hugh XII de Lusignan]], all sons of veterans of the previous Crusade, as well as [[Guy II, Count of Saint-Pol|Guy III of Saint-Pol]], [[John II, Count of Soissons|John II of Soissons]] and [[Raoul de Soissons]].

The sailing was at least a month late. This meant that he must contend with the heat in Tunisia as well as the prospect of bad weather at sea on the second leg of the expedition, that to the Holy Land. The army was smaller than that of the Seventh Crusade. Louis' own household included 347 knights, and the total garrison was estimated at 10,000. A second fleet under Louis' son-in-law [[Theobald II of Navarre|Theobald II]] sailed from Marseille accompanied by his wife [[Isabella of France, Queen of Navarre|Isabella of France]], Louis' daughter.{{sfn|Riley-Smith|2005|pp=207–212|loc=The Second Crusade of Louis}}

The first part of the journey was hectic. They stopped in Sardinia. The king sent Florent ahead as a scout to meet with the Sards. As their boats were Genoan, they were unwelcome. The French and Navarrene fleets joined up at [[Cagliari]], on the southern coast of Sardinia. Here the decision to attack Tunis was announced, causing consternation among the troops as they were told they were going to Jerusalem. The high regard they had for the king reassured them.{{sfn|Runciman|1954|pp=290–292|loc=Louis's Last Crusade}}

After a week at Cagliari, the force was ready and departed, quickly landing at [[Carthage]] on 18 July 1270 without serious opposition. The king sent Florent with a few men to reconnoitre the land. He found an empty harbour, with only a few Muslim and Genoan merchant ships present. The royal council was divided as to a strategy, with some thinking it was a trap, while others wanted to take advantage of the situation and disembark. The latter course was taken, and on 21 July the tower of [[La Goulette]] was seized and the army settled in the plain of Carthage. The Genoan sailors captured the fortress and, slaughtering the inhabitants, using it as their base of operations. Both sides played a waiting game, as Louis did not want to repeat his mistakes made in Egypt in 1250. He would not risk a major battle until Charles arrived. The sultan was safe behind the walls of his fortress and did not wish to engage the Franks in the open, limiting his actions to ones of harassment.{{sfn|Strayer|1969|pp=513–515|loc=Louis' Crusade to Tunis}}

The Tunisian heat, and lack of sanitation and fresh food were to doom the expedition. The Crusading force was stricken with disease, likely dysentery, with many dying. Louis IX was given last rites by Geoffrey of Beaulieu and uttered his last words, ''Domine in manus tuas animam meam commendavi''. The king of France and leader of the Crusade died in penitence on a bed of ashes on 25 August. Philip III was the new king, but his coronation was delayed for a year.{{sfn|Archer|1904|pp=402–403|loc=Death of St. Louis}} As the king's death was being announced, the fleet of Charles I arrived at Tunis. After a few inconsequential skirmishes, Charles sued for peace. Muhammad I al-Mustansir, with his army similarly afflicted, was of a like mind.{{sfn|Strayer|1969|pp=513–515|loc=Louis' Crusade to Tunis}}
[[File:Roi de France Louis IX en mer vers Tunis.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Florent de Varennes]] with his shield ''Gules a Cross Or'' en route to Tunis]]
John II of Soissons and Raoul de Soissons died either in Tunisia or shortly after returning to France. Dying in Tunisia were [[Alfonso of Brienne]], son of [[John of Brienne]] and a squire in the Seventh Crusade. Others, including [[Olivier de Termes]], [[Raoul II of Clermont]], [[Jean d'Eppe]], [[Geoffrey de Geneville, 1st Baron Geneville|Geoffrey de Geneville]] and [[John I, Duke of Brittany|John I of Brittany]] survived. Of the French marshals, [[Lancelot de Saint-Maard]] died, while both [[Raoul II Sores]], and [[Simon de Melun]] survived. Of the contingent from the British Isles, Scottish nobles [[David Strathbogie, Earl of Atholl]], leader of the Scottish contingent, and Sir David de Lindsay, Lord of Byres, died in Tunis, while others such as [[Adam of Kilconquhar]] and [[Alexander de Baliol]] survived to fight the next year with Prince Edward.<ref>Bruce Beebe, [https://academic.oup.com/histres/article-abstract/48/118/127/5670039 The English Baronage and the Crusade of 1270]. Bulletin of the Institute of Historical Research, Volume 48, Issue 118, November 1975. pp. 127–148.</ref>