How did Louis IX treat provincial customs and feudal rights?

Louis IX, known for his commitment to justice and moral authority, navigated the complex landscape of feudal rights and provincial customs with a balanced approach. While he was a firm ruler who sought to curb disorder and limit the power of the nobility, he did not seek to dismantle the existing legal framework entirely.

Specifically, Louis IX respected rights that were sanctioned by established provincial custom. Furthermore, he was notably less aggressive in exploiting feudal relationships than his grandfather, Philip Augustus, had been.1

Despite this respect for tradition, Louis IX consistently worked to centralize royal authority. He allowed his officials to encroach upon baronial jurisdictions in many instances and actively welcomed appeals from baronial judgments to the royal court. Additionally, he sought to limit the nobility's ability to cause disorder by curbing private warfare and restricting the use of baronial currency in favor of royal money. His reign was characterized by consolidation and reform, prioritizing the king's role as a source of justice over the unchecked autonomy of feudal lords.1