Baldwin of Rethel, Baldwin of Bourcq, Count of Edessa, King of Jerusalem
Baldwin was the son of Hugh, count of Rethel, and his wife Melisende, daughter of Guy I of Montlhery. He was the youngest of three sons, and the third of seven children.
Baldwin married Morphia of Melitene, the daughter of the Armenian prince Gabriel of Melitene. They would marry in 1100 and have four daughters:
* Melisende, heir and wife of Fulk V of Anjou
* Alice, wife of Bohemund II of Antioch
* Hodierna, wife of Raymond II of Tripoli
* Ioveta, abbess of the convent in Bethany
Baldwin of Bourcq regarded Eustace III of Boulogne, Godfrey of Bouillon, and Baldwin of Boulogne as cousins, and followed them to Jerusalem on the first crusade. Godfrey of Bouillon became King Baldwin I of Jerusalem while Baldwin of Boulogne became the Count of Edessa, Baldwin of Bourcg was Regent and served Bohemond of Taranto, Prince of Antioch. When Geoffrey died in 1100, Baldwin Boulogne was elected King, and Baldwin of Bourcq was appointed Count of Edessa, Tancred became Regent.
Baldwin and Tancred fought with King Baldwin I at Ascalon against the Egyptians, and again at the Battle of Harran against the Seljuk Turks where Baldwin was captured. Tancred acted as Count in his stead, but he remained in captivity in Mosul until ransomed for 60,000 dinars by Joscelin of Courtenay in 1108. Tancred refused to step down until Baldwin gathered support from all the tribes including the Kurds, Arabs, Byzantines and Seljuks. After their reconciliation, Baldwin and Tancred joined in the capture of Tripoli in 1109. Meanwhile, Joscelin of Courtenay fell out of favor, left Jerusalem for Galilee where he was proclaimed the Price of Galilee in 1113.
King Baldwin I died in 1118, and the crown would have deferred to his older Brother, Eustace III had Joscelin not insisted Baldwin should have it, and Baldwin was crowned King Baldwin II of Jerusalem on Easter Sunday, April 14, 1118. Joscelin became Count.
The remainder of that year was spent dealing with invasions by Muslim Seljuks from Syria and Fatimids from Egypt. When Antioch was invaded by Seljuks, the Prince, Roger of Salerno, did not wait for Baldwin's reinforcements and the ensuing battle was known as the Field of Blood.
The Knights Hospitaller was founded in 1113, evolved to the Knights Templar in 1118 bu Hughes de Payens, and Baldwin II established the first written laws of Jerusalem at the Council of Nablus in 1120.Baldwin allowed Hughes to set up quarters in the royal palace of Al Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount, thusly the name Knights Templar, referring to the building built on an older temple they called Solomon's Temple.
Joscelin and Baldwin were captured by Belek in 1122 and 1123 respectively, Eustace Greiner became acting regent, defeating an invasion of Egyptians in 1124. Joscelin and Baldwin escaped, Baldwin was captured again, ransomed for Joscelin's son and Baldwin's daughter. In 1125, the crusaders battled and won against the larger Seljuk army of at the Battle of Azaz. Baldwin's attempt to tale Damascus in 1126 failed.
In 1131 Baldwin became ill and died on the 21st of August, buried in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. Melisende, by law the heir to the kingdom, succeeded her father with Fulk as her co-ruler. The new queen and king were crowned on 14 September.
There are many descriptions of Baldwin, some quite contradictory, including, "a devout and God-fearing man, notable for his loyalty and for his great experience in military matters" and "after him there was none left amongst them possessed of sound judgment and capacity to govern" along with "grasping and penurious" and "had not governed the people of God well."
Baldwin was the son of Hugh, count of Rethel, and his wife Melisende, daughter of Guy I of Montlhery. He was the youngest of three sons, and the third of seven children.
Baldwin married Morphia of Melitene, the daughter of the Armenian prince Gabriel of Melitene. They would marry in 1100 and have four daughters:
* Melisende, heir and wife of Fulk V of Anjou
* Alice, wife of Bohemund II of Antioch
* Hodierna, wife of Raymond II of Tripoli
* Ioveta, abbess of the convent in Bethany
Baldwin of Bourcq regarded Eustace III of Boulogne, Godfrey of Bouillon, and Baldwin of Boulogne as cousins, and followed them to Jerusalem on the first crusade. Godfrey of Bouillon became King Baldwin I of Jerusalem while Baldwin of Boulogne became the Count of Edessa, Baldwin of Bourcg was Regent and served Bohemond of Taranto, Prince of Antioch. When Geoffrey died in 1100, Baldwin Boulogne was elected King, and Baldwin of Bourcq was appointed Count of Edessa, Tancred became Regent.
Baldwin and Tancred fought with King Baldwin I at Ascalon against the Egyptians, and again at the Battle of Harran against the Seljuk Turks where Baldwin was captured. Tancred acted as Count in his stead, but he remained in captivity in Mosul until ransomed for 60,000 dinars by Joscelin of Courtenay in 1108. Tancred refused to step down until Baldwin gathered support from all the tribes including the Kurds, Arabs, Byzantines and Seljuks. After their reconciliation, Baldwin and Tancred joined in the capture of Tripoli in 1109. Meanwhile, Joscelin of Courtenay fell out of favor, left Jerusalem for Galilee where he was proclaimed the Price of Galilee in 1113.
King Baldwin I died in 1118, and the crown would have deferred to his older Brother, Eustace III had Joscelin not insisted Baldwin should have it, and Baldwin was crowned King Baldwin II of Jerusalem on Easter Sunday, April 14, 1118. Joscelin became Count.
The remainder of that year was spent dealing with invasions by Muslim Seljuks from Syria and Fatimids from Egypt. When Antioch was invaded by Seljuks, the Prince, Roger of Salerno, did not wait for Baldwin's reinforcements and the ensuing battle was known as the Field of Blood.
The Knights Hospitaller was founded in 1113, evolved to the Knights Templar in 1118 bu Hughes de Payens, and Baldwin II established the first written laws of Jerusalem at the Council of Nablus in 1120.Baldwin allowed Hughes to set up quarters in the royal palace of Al Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount, thusly the name Knights Templar, referring to the building built on an older temple they called Solomon's Temple.
Joscelin and Baldwin were captured by Belek in 1122 and 1123 respectively, Eustace Greiner became acting regent, defeating an invasion of Egyptians in 1124. Joscelin and Baldwin escaped, Baldwin was captured again, ransomed for Joscelin's son and Baldwin's daughter. In 1125, the crusaders battled and won against the larger Seljuk army of at the Battle of Azaz. Baldwin's attempt to tale Damascus in 1126 failed.
In 1131 Baldwin became ill and died on the 21st of August, buried in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. Melisende, by law the heir to the kingdom, succeeded her father with Fulk as her co-ruler. The new queen and king were crowned on 14 September.
There are many descriptions of Baldwin, some quite contradictory, including, "a devout and God-fearing man, notable for his loyalty and for his great experience in military matters" and "after him there was none left amongst them possessed of sound judgment and capacity to govern" along with "grasping and penurious" and "had not governed the people of God well."
Baldwin of Rethel, Baldwin of Bourcq, Count of Edessa, King of Jerusalem
Baldwin was the son of Hugh, count of Rethel, and his wife Melisende, daughter of Guy I of Montlhery. He was the youngest of three sons, and the third of seven children.
Baldwin married Morphia of Melitene, the daughter of the Armenian prince Gabriel of Melitene. They would marry in 1100 and have four daughters:
* Melisende, heir and wife of Fulk V of Anjou
* Alice, wife of Bohemund II of Antioch
* Hodierna, wife of Raymond II of Tripoli
* Ioveta, abbess of the convent in Bethany
Baldwin of Bourcq regarded Eustace III of Boulogne, Godfrey of Bouillon, and Baldwin of Boulogne as cousins, and followed them to Jerusalem on the first crusade. Godfrey of Bouillon became King Baldwin I of Jerusalem while Baldwin of Boulogne became the Count of Edessa, Baldwin of Bourcg was Regent and served Bohemond of Taranto, Prince of Antioch. When Geoffrey died in 1100, Baldwin Boulogne was elected King, and Baldwin of Bourcq was appointed Count of Edessa, Tancred became Regent.
Baldwin and Tancred fought with King Baldwin I at Ascalon against the Egyptians, and again at the Battle of Harran against the Seljuk Turks where Baldwin was captured. Tancred acted as Count in his stead, but he remained in captivity in Mosul until ransomed for 60,000 dinars by Joscelin of Courtenay in 1108. Tancred refused to step down until Baldwin gathered support from all the tribes including the Kurds, Arabs, Byzantines and Seljuks. After their reconciliation, Baldwin and Tancred joined in the capture of Tripoli in 1109. Meanwhile, Joscelin of Courtenay fell out of favor, left Jerusalem for Galilee where he was proclaimed the Price of Galilee in 1113.
King Baldwin I died in 1118, and the crown would have deferred to his older Brother, Eustace III had Joscelin not insisted Baldwin should have it, and Baldwin was crowned King Baldwin II of Jerusalem on Easter Sunday, April 14, 1118. Joscelin became Count.
The remainder of that year was spent dealing with invasions by Muslim Seljuks from Syria and Fatimids from Egypt. When Antioch was invaded by Seljuks, the Prince, Roger of Salerno, did not wait for Baldwin's reinforcements and the ensuing battle was known as the Field of Blood.
The Knights Hospitaller was founded in 1113, evolved to the Knights Templar in 1118 bu Hughes de Payens, and Baldwin II established the first written laws of Jerusalem at the Council of Nablus in 1120.Baldwin allowed Hughes to set up quarters in the royal palace of Al Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount, thusly the name Knights Templar, referring to the building built on an older temple they called Solomon's Temple.
Joscelin and Baldwin were captured by Belek in 1122 and 1123 respectively, Eustace Greiner became acting regent, defeating an invasion of Egyptians in 1124. Joscelin and Baldwin escaped, Baldwin was captured again, ransomed for Joscelin's son and Baldwin's daughter. In 1125, the crusaders battled and won against the larger Seljuk army of at the Battle of Azaz. Baldwin's attempt to tale Damascus in 1126 failed.
In 1131 Baldwin became ill and died on the 21st of August, buried in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. Melisende, by law the heir to the kingdom, succeeded her father with Fulk as her co-ruler. The new queen and king were crowned on 14 September.
There are many descriptions of Baldwin, some quite contradictory, including, "a devout and God-fearing man, notable for his loyalty and for his great experience in military matters" and "after him there was none left amongst them possessed of sound judgment and capacity to govern" along with "grasping and penurious" and "had not governed the people of God well."
Baldwin was the son of Hugh, count of Rethel, and his wife Melisende, daughter of Guy I of Montlhery. He was the youngest of three sons, and the third of seven children.
Baldwin married Morphia of Melitene, the daughter of the Armenian prince Gabriel of Melitene. They would marry in 1100 and have four daughters:
* Melisende, heir and wife of Fulk V of Anjou
* Alice, wife of Bohemund II of Antioch
* Hodierna, wife of Raymond II of Tripoli
* Ioveta, abbess of the convent in Bethany
Baldwin of Bourcq regarded Eustace III of Boulogne, Godfrey of Bouillon, and Baldwin of Boulogne as cousins, and followed them to Jerusalem on the first crusade. Godfrey of Bouillon became King Baldwin I of Jerusalem while Baldwin of Boulogne became the Count of Edessa, Baldwin of Bourcg was Regent and served Bohemond of Taranto, Prince of Antioch. When Geoffrey died in 1100, Baldwin Boulogne was elected King, and Baldwin of Bourcq was appointed Count of Edessa, Tancred became Regent.
Baldwin and Tancred fought with King Baldwin I at Ascalon against the Egyptians, and again at the Battle of Harran against the Seljuk Turks where Baldwin was captured. Tancred acted as Count in his stead, but he remained in captivity in Mosul until ransomed for 60,000 dinars by Joscelin of Courtenay in 1108. Tancred refused to step down until Baldwin gathered support from all the tribes including the Kurds, Arabs, Byzantines and Seljuks. After their reconciliation, Baldwin and Tancred joined in the capture of Tripoli in 1109. Meanwhile, Joscelin of Courtenay fell out of favor, left Jerusalem for Galilee where he was proclaimed the Price of Galilee in 1113.
King Baldwin I died in 1118, and the crown would have deferred to his older Brother, Eustace III had Joscelin not insisted Baldwin should have it, and Baldwin was crowned King Baldwin II of Jerusalem on Easter Sunday, April 14, 1118. Joscelin became Count.
The remainder of that year was spent dealing with invasions by Muslim Seljuks from Syria and Fatimids from Egypt. When Antioch was invaded by Seljuks, the Prince, Roger of Salerno, did not wait for Baldwin's reinforcements and the ensuing battle was known as the Field of Blood.
The Knights Hospitaller was founded in 1113, evolved to the Knights Templar in 1118 bu Hughes de Payens, and Baldwin II established the first written laws of Jerusalem at the Council of Nablus in 1120.Baldwin allowed Hughes to set up quarters in the royal palace of Al Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount, thusly the name Knights Templar, referring to the building built on an older temple they called Solomon's Temple.
Joscelin and Baldwin were captured by Belek in 1122 and 1123 respectively, Eustace Greiner became acting regent, defeating an invasion of Egyptians in 1124. Joscelin and Baldwin escaped, Baldwin was captured again, ransomed for Joscelin's son and Baldwin's daughter. In 1125, the crusaders battled and won against the larger Seljuk army of at the Battle of Azaz. Baldwin's attempt to tale Damascus in 1126 failed.
In 1131 Baldwin became ill and died on the 21st of August, buried in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. Melisende, by law the heir to the kingdom, succeeded her father with Fulk as her co-ruler. The new queen and king were crowned on 14 September.
There are many descriptions of Baldwin, some quite contradictory, including, "a devout and God-fearing man, notable for his loyalty and for his great experience in military matters" and "after him there was none left amongst them possessed of sound judgment and capacity to govern" along with "grasping and penurious" and "had not governed the people of God well."
