What does this tell us about the Crusades?
The presumed patron of the Morgan Picture Bible, King Louis IX, “took greatest personal interest in religious commissions that reflected both his extreme personal piety and his desire to elevate the status of the monarchy through close association with the divine.” In other words, King Louis IX was dedicated to religious commissions that could outline his militant Christian kingship, while his leadership in the crusades would achieve this ideal as reality.
In the decade following Louis’s decision to embark on crusade, the royal chapel Sainte-Chapelle and the Morgan Picture Bible were produced. Both of these affirmed the king's crusading ideals.
The use of the Old Testament in the Morgan Picture Bible suggests the importance of historical kingship and holy war in medieval France. The Morgan Bible presents themes such as the “historical inevitability of war, the nature of sacrifice and unpredictability of God’s will, and the responsibilities of sacred kingship.” The emphasis on holy war is seen on this page by the destruction of a pagan statue, the assembly of an army, and a miraculous victory during war.
This page displays an epic battle, soldiers, horses, and a moment of religious resolution; but most importantly, it showcases the violent nature of the military. This page illustrates the religious conviction that controlled the Crusades; establishing that the violence had a purpose.