Alphonse of Poitiers facts for kids
Alphonse of Poitiers (born 11 November 1220 – died 21 August 1271) was an important French noble. He was the Count of Poitou starting in 1225 and later became the Count of Toulouse (as Alphonse II) from 1247.
Alphonse was a son of Louis VIII of France, who was the King of France. His mother was Blanche of Castile. He was the younger brother of Louis IX of France, who later became a saint. He also had an older brother named Charles I of Sicily.
A special agreement called the Treaty of Paris said that one of King Louis's brothers should marry Joan of Toulouse. Joan was the daughter of Raymond VII, Count of Toulouse. So, in 1237, Alphonse married Joan.
Alphonse's Rule and Legacy
Alphonse was known for being fair and helping ordinary people. He tried to protect them from unfair demands by the nobles. He had a good influence on the southern parts of France, even though he was a strong ruler and always needed money for his projects.
Alphonse mostly stayed in Paris. He managed his lands and people through special officials. These officials were checked by inspectors to make sure they were doing a good job. He also sent many messages to keep things running smoothly.
Alphonse joined his brother, King Louis IX, on two important journeys called the Crusades. These were religious wars to the Middle East. He helped raise a lot of money for these trips. On the second crusade he joined, known as the Eighth Crusade, Alphonse did not return to France. He died on his way back, probably in a place called Savona in Italy, on 21 August 1271.
Images for kids
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Alphonse, as Count of Toulouse, gave the town of Agen the right to govern itself. Here, he is taking an oath with his hand on the town's rules. The person giving the oath is kneeling, showing respect for Alphonse's power.
See also
In Spanish: Alfonso de Poitiers para niños
