Origins & Early Life

Louis VII (1120 – 18 September 1180), was King of France from 1137 to 1180. His first marriage was to Duchess Eleanor of Aquitaine, one of the wealthiest and most powerful women in western Europe. The marriage temporarily extended the Capetian lands to the Pyrenees. Louis was the second son of Louis VI of France and Adelaide of Maurienne, and was initially prepared for a career in the Church.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Following the death of his older brother, Philip, in 1131, Louis became heir apparent to the French throne and was crowned as his father's co-ruler. In 1137, he married Eleanor of Aquitaine and shortly thereafter became sole king following his father's death. During his march, as part of the Second Crusade in 1147, Louis stayed at the court of King Géza II of Hungary on the way to Jerusalem. During his stay in the Holy Land, disagreements with Eleanor led to a deterioration in their marriage. She persuaded him to stay in Antioch but Louis instead wanted to fulfil his vows of pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

He was later involved in the failed siege of Damascus and eventually returned to France in 1149. Louis' reign saw the founding of the University of Paris. He and his counsellor, Abbot Suger, pushed...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• Adrien-Marie Legendre — Shared historical date (09-18 · Born) (1752): Pioneering French mathematician known for Legendre polynomials and least squares method.
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• Ramanuja — Historical peer (Died in 1137) (1137): Pioneering exponent of Vishishtadvaita, shaping the Bhakti movement in Hinduism.
• Dobrodeia of Kiev — Historical peer (Died in 1131) (1131): Byzantine Empress and Scholar, wife of Alexios Komnenos, noted for her literary works.
• Omar Khayyam — Historical peer (Died in 1131) (1131): Persian polymath, poet, and mathematician known for work in algebra and astronomy.
• Minamoto no Yoritomo — Historical peer (Born in 1147) (1147): Founder of the Kamakura Shogunate and first great military ruler of Japan.
• Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester — Historical peer (Died in 1147) (1147): Illegitimate son of Henry I, key military figure in the Anarchy.
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