ABSTRACT
At the end of the eleventh century, the monarchy in France had reached its lowest depths. The king hardly held the reins of government. It is clear that in various ways changes were taking place which were of advantage to the monarchy. For some of them, especially the suppression of insubordination within the domain, Louis was directly responsible; but some seem to have come about, almost despite him, by force of circumstances. A much more serious blow to Louis occurred in 1127 when the king of England and the count of Anjou renounced their enmity and formed a marriage alliance. Henry I had already weaned Fulk from his French allegiance by the proposal of a marriage between his son William and Fulk’s daughter. A still more surprising change was to come about two years later in the South of France, where for so long the rulers of the great fiefs had pursued their own course regardless of their overlord.
