attained his majority, and his mother transferred to him a power respected, feared, and encompassed by vassals always turbulent and still often aggressive, but disunited, weakened, intimidated, or discredited, and always outwitted, for a space of ten years, in their plots.
When she had secured the political position of the king her son, and as the time of his majority approached, Queen Blanche gave her attention to his domestic life also.

She belonged to the number of those who aspire to play the part of Providence towards the objects of their affection, and to regulate their destiny in everything.

Louis was nineteen; he was handsome, after a refined and gentle style which spoke of moral worth without telling of great physical strength; he had delicate and chiselled features, a brilliant complexion, and light hair, abundant and glossy, which, through his grandmother Isabel, he inherited from the family of the Counts of Hainault.

He displayed liveliness and elegance in his tastes; he was fond of amusements, games, hunting, hounds and hawking-birds, fine clothes, magnificent furniture.

A holy man, they say, even reproached the queen his mother with having winked at certain inclinations evinced by him towards irregular connections.