What if a king could be famous for building the most beautiful church ever AND for making some of history's worst decisions?

The Day a French King Made a Huge Mistake!

How King Louis IX kicked thousands of people out of France

King Louis IX of France died on a crusade in 1270 — he built cool stuff but made bad choices too!

On August 25, 1270, something sad and strange happened in history. King Louis IX of France died while on a crusade in North Africa. But wait — why is this important?

Louis IX was one of the most famous kings of France. He built amazing things like the Sainte-Chapelle, a gorgeous church in Paris with walls made almost entirely of colorful stained glass! It's like standing inside a giant kaleidoscope!

But here's where things get complicated. Louis IX made some really unfair decisions during his life. He forced Jewish people to wear special badges and took away their belongings. He also sent thousands of people on dangerous journeys called crusades.

When Louis died in Tunisia (that's in North Africa), he was actually leading his second crusade. His army was sick, tired, and far from home. His son Philip had to bring his father's bones all the way back to France — a journey that took months!

💡 The Sainte-Chapelle church that Louis IX built has 1,113 stained glass scenes — it took artists over 7 years to create them all!