n his plans took
place. Instead of proceeding to Acre, as he originally intended, he shaped
his course for Tunis, on the African coast. The king of Tunis had some
time previously expressed himself favourably disposed towards the
Christians and their religion, and Louis, it appears, had hopes of
converting him, and securing his aid against the sultan of Egypt. "What
honour would be mine," he used to say, "if I could become godfather to
this Mussulman king!" Filled with this idea he landed in Africa, near the
site of the city of Carthage, but found that he had reckoned without his
host. The king of Tunis had no thoughts of renouncing his religion, nor
intention of aiding the Crusaders in any way. On the contrary, he opposed
their landing with all the forces that could be collected on so sudden an
emergency. The French, however, made good their first position, and
defeated the Moslems with considerable loss. They also gained some
advantage over the reinforcements that were sent to oppose them; but an
infectious flux appeared in the army, and put a stop to all future
victories. The soldiers died at the rate of a hundred in a day. The enemy,
at the same time, made as great havoc as the plague. St. Louis himself was
one of the first attacked by the disease. His constitution had been
weakened by fatigues, and even before he left France he was unable to bear
the full weight of his armour. It was soon evident to his sorrowing
soldiers that their beloved monarch could not long survive. He lingered
for some days, and died in Carthage in the fifty-sixth year of his age,
deeply regretted by his army and his subjects, and leaving behind him one
of the most singular reputations in history. He is the model-king of
ecclesiastical writers, in whose eyes his very defects became virtues,
because they were manifested in furtherance of their cause. More
unprejudiced historians, while they condemn his fanaticism, admit that he
was endowed with many high and rare qualities; that he was in no one point
behind his age, and in many in advance of it.

His brother, Charles of Anjou, in consequence of a revolution in Sicily,
had become king of that country. Before he heard of the death of Louis, he
had sailed from Messina with large reinforcements. On his landing near
Carthage, he advanced at the head of his army, amid the martial music of
drums and trumpets. He was soon informed how inopportune was his
rejoicing, and shed tears before his whole army