On a bright day in August, 1248,
they went on board the fleet which was ready to sail. The king
called to the Crusaders, "Sing in the name of God. Shout forth
his praises as we sail away." Then quickly, on ship after ship,
shouts of praise burst from the lips of thousands and amid the
grand chorus the fleet began its voyage.

The Crusaders went to Dam-i-et'ta, in Egypt. Louis was so eager to
land that he jumped into water up to his waist and waded ashore.
He captured the city without striking a blow.

He had resolved to make war on the Moslems in Egypt rather than
in the Holy Land, so when he left Damietta he marched southward.

He supposed there would be no strong force to stop his progress.
However, he was mistaken, for he had not marched forty miles toward
Cairo when he was attacked by a Moslem army led by the sultan of
Egypt.

A great battle was fought. The Crusaders were commanded by King
Louis and throughout the battle showed the utmost bravery, but they
were outnumbered. Thousands were slain and the survivors retreated
toward Damietta.

The Moslems pursued them and the Crusaders were obliged to surrender.
Out of the forty thousand men who had left France only about six
thousand now remained. Many had died of disease as well as in battle.

King Louis was among the prisoners, and the sultan of Egypt agreed
to release him only upon the payment of a large ransom.

When the ransom had been paid a truce was made for ten years between
Louis and the sultan, and the good king left Egypt. He then went
to the Holy Land, and for four years worked to deliver Crusaders
who were in Moslem prisons.

II

During the time that Louis was in the Holy Land his mother ruled
France as regent. When she died he returned immediately to his
kingdom and devoted himself to governing it.

In 1252 he took part in the founding of the Sorbonne, the most
famous theological college of Europe from the days of St. Louis
down to the time of the French Revolution.

[Illustration: THE FOUNDING OF THE SORBONNE]

He ruled his people so wisely and justly that it is hard to find
any better king or even one equally as good in the whole line of
French kings. He never wronged any man himself, or knowingly allowed
any man to be wronged by others.

Near his palace there was a grand oak with wide-spreading branches,
under which he used to sit on pleasant days in summer. There he
received all persons who had complaints to make, rich and poor
al