Louis of Toulouse

Who was Louis of Toulouse?

Saint Louis of Toulouse was a cadet of the royal French house of Anjou who was made a Catholic bishop.

He was born in Brignoles, Provence, the second son of Charles of Anjou "the Lame" and Maria Arpad of Hungary, daughter of the King Stephen V of Hungary. His father was appointed King of Naples, by Pope Clement IV, the former secretary to Louis IX of France. The boy was himself a nephew of St Louis and of Mary of Hungary, and also the aunt of Saint Louis' mother was Saint Margaret of Hungary.

When Charles II of Naples was taken prisoner in Italy, during the war with King Peter III of Aragon that followed the Sicilian Vespers, he obtained his own freedom by giving over his three sons as hostages. The boys were taken to Barcelona—Aragonese territory—where they were placed under the care of Franciscan friars for their education and held for seven years. Though still held in captivity, Louis was made archbishop of Lyon as soon as he reached his majority. When his older brother died in 1295, Louis also became heir to his father's secular titles; however, when he was freed that same year, Louis went to Rome and gave up all claims to his royal inheritance in favor of his brother Robert of Anjou and announced that instead he would take the Franciscan vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.