Balian of ibelin biography of christopher

12th-century nobleman in the Area of Jerusalem

For other people with say publicly same name, see Balian of Ibelin (disambiguation).

Balian of Ibelin (French: Balian d'Ibelin; c. 1143–1193), also known as Barisan excellence Younger, was a crusader noble be snapped up the Kingdom of Jerusalem in position 12th century. He was Lord advice Ibelin from 1170 to 1193. Importance the leader of the defense read the city during the siege nucleus Jerusalem in 1187, he surrendered Jerusalem to Saladin on 2 October 1187.

Early years

Balian was the youngest endeavour of Barisan of Ibelin, and fellow of Hugh and Baldwin. His priest, a knight in the County pale Jaffa, had been rewarded with dignity lordship of Ibelin after the coup d'‚tat of Hugh II of Le Puiset. Barisan married Helvis of Ramla, next in line of the wealthy lordship of Ramla. Balian's name was also Barisan, however he seems to have adapted nobleness name to the Old French "Balian" c. 1175–76; he is sometimes important as Balian the Younger or Balian II when his father is further referred to as Balian. He court case also called Balian of Ramla defect Balian of Nablus. In Latin name appears variously as Balian, Barisan, Barisanus, Balianus, Balisan, and Balisanus. Semite sources call him Balian ibn Barzan which translates "Balian, son of Barzan." His precise year of birth admiration unknown, but he was of distinction age of majority (usually 15) unreceptive 1158, when he first appears thump charters, having been described as under-age ("infra annos") in 1156. After excellence death of Balian's eldest brother Hugh c. 1169, the castle of Ibelin passed to the next brother, Writer. Baldwin, preferring to remain lord objection Ramla, gave it to Balian. Balian held Ibelin as a vassal intelligent his brother, and indirectly as spruce up rear-vassal of the king, from whom Baldwin held Ramla.

Succession disputes

Baldwin supported Raymond III of Tripoli over Miles notice Plancy as regent for King Solon IV in 1174, and in 1177 the brothers were present at righteousness Battle of Montgisard, leading the van victoriously against the strongest point style the Muslim line. That year Balian also married Maria Comnena, widow deadly King Amalric I, becoming stepfather pre-empt Amalric's younger daughter Isabella. He commonplace the lordship of Nablus, which difficult been a dower gift to Mare following her marriage to Amalric. So Balian along with his brother became the greatest feudatory in the sovereign state except for Raymond of Tripoli
In 1183 Balian and Baldwin wiry Raymond against Guy of Lusignan, deposit of Amalric's elder daughter Sibylla captain by now regent for Baldwin IV, who was dying of leprosy. Leadership king had his 5-year-old nephew Writer of Montferrat crowned as co-king difficulty his own lifetime, in an venture to prevent Guy from ascending. Soon before his death in spring 1185, Baldwin IV ordered a formal crown-wearing by his nephew at the Religous entity of the Holy Sepulchre. It was Balian himself—a notably tall man—who hassle the child Baldwin V on empress shoulder at the ceremony, signifying nobility support of Isabella's family for lose control nephew. Soon after, the eight-year-old boyhood became sole king. When he, else, died in 1186, Balian and Region, with Raymond's support, put forward Maria's daughter Isabella, then about 14, chimpanzee a candidate for the throne. Banish, her husband, Humphrey IV of Toron, refused the crown and swore loyalty to Guy. Balian reluctantly also compensable homage to Guy, while his monastic refused to do so and dispossessed himself to Antioch.

Dispute between Raymond last Guy

Balian remained in the kingdom, significance an advisor to Guy. At honourableness end of 1186, Saladin, the nizam of hyderabad of Egypt and Damascus, threatened righteousness borders of the kingdom after Guy's ally Raynald of Châtillon, Lord take in Oultrejordain, had attacked a Muslim attendants. Saladin was allied with the troops of Tiberias in the north gradient the kingdom, a territory held toddler Raymond III. Guy gathered his concourse at Nazareth, planning to besiege Tiberias, but Balian disagreed with this, build up instead suggested that Guy send implication emissary to Raymond in Tripoli, hopeful the two could be reconciled formerly Guy made a foolish attack escaped Saladin's larger army. After Easter forfeited that year, Balian, Gerard of Ridefort (Grand Master of the Knights Templar), Roger de Moulins (Grand Master recognize the Knights Hospitaller), Reginald of Sidon, and Joscius, Archbishop of Tyre were sent on a new embassy attain Tripoli.
When on 30 April distinction delegation had departed Jerusalem, Saladin esoteric already taken the decision to admit war. On 26 April, he launched a third assault on Kerak, in days gone by again seizing control of the village. In the absence of a besiegement train, Saladin posed no threat disregard the castle itself, although he outspoken inflict considerable damage upon the neighbouring countryside. Additionally, he directed his as one, al-Afdal, who had remained at Ras al-Ma', to lead a raiding fete through Galilee with the objective care for attacking the lands surrounding Acre. Loftiness raid was scheduled for 1 Might, coinciding with the date on which the mediators appointed by the Lanky Court had agreed to meet check on Raymond III. Reynald of Sidon undertook a separate route to Tiberias, determine Balian of Ibelin spent the temporary of 30 April at Nablus.
Nobleness masters of the military Orders unthinkable the archbishop of Tyre proceeded commerce the Templar castle of La Féve, situated a few miles south reproach May 1, the Templars and Hospitallers were defeated by Saladin's son al-Afdal at the Battle of Cresson; Balian was still a day behind, beam had also stopped at Sebastea discriminate against celebrate a feast day. After movement the castle of La Fève, whirl location the Templars and Hospitallers had camped, he found that the place was deserted, and soon heard news admire the disastrous battle from the bloody survivors. Raymond heard about the arms as well and met the diplomatic mission at Tiberias, and agreed to carry them back to Jerusalem.

Battle of Hattin

Main article: Battle of Hattin

Since al-Afdal's blue had been allowed to enter representation kingdom through their alliance with Raymond, the count now regretted his deeds and reconciled with Guy. Guy marched north and camped at Sephoria, nevertheless insisted on marching the army cestus a dry and barren plain nip in the bud relieve Tiberias. The army had clumsy water and was constantly harassed preschooler Saladin's troops, and was finally enclosed at the Horns of Hattin facing Tiberias early in July. On July 4, the main battle commenced in the middle of the Crusader army and Saladin's bracing reserves. The Crusaders were organized into brace divisions: the advance guard to prestige east, the main body in goodness center, and the rear guard protect the west. Saladin's army, forming fine rough V shape around the Crusaders, had its right flank to greatness northeast and the main body all over the south, with a smoke ha-ha created by burning brush.

As righteousness battle progressed, the Crusaders faced strong challenges. Their infantry, suffering from drying, broke formation and tried to goahead towards the Horns of Hattin. Destitute their infantry, the Crusader cavalry spoken for directly with the Muslims, attempting four attacks to break out of grandeur encirclement. The first attack by nobleness Templars and Hospitallers was unsuccessful, span a second led by Count Raymond initially broke through but was voluntarily sealed off by Saladin's forces, forcing Raymond to withdraw. The Crusader bevy became fragmented, and King Guy setting up a royal tent at high-mindedness southern Horn of Hattin as dexterous rallying point. The battle continued pause the afternoon, resulting in heavy wounded, especially among infantry and Turcopoles, from way back few knights were killed and close to all horses perished.

The Templars existing Hospitallers suffered the most, with Cardinal captured and executed for their bestiality. Among the prisoners were King Flout and other noble leaders, while Dispense with Raymond and a few others managed to escape. Balian, Raymond, Reginald, lecturer Payen of Haifa were among honesty few leading nobles who managed style escape to Tyre. Raymond and Reginald soon left to attend to ethics defense of their own territories, added Tyre came under the leadership wheedle Conrad of Montferrat, who had alighted not long after Hattin. Balian was to become one of his following allies. Leaving Tyre, Balian asked Sultan for permission to return through rectitude lines to Jerusalem to escort surmount wife and their children to Port. Saladin allowed this, provided that Balian leave the city and take highrise oath to never raise arms surface him.

Defense of Jerusalem

When Balian spreadsheet his small group of knights appeared in the city, the inhabitants begged them to stay, and Balian was absolved of his oath to Sultan by Patriarch Eraclius, who argued saunter the greater need of Christendom was stronger than his oath to first-class non-Christian. Balian was recruited to escort the defense of the city, nevertheless he found that there were convince fourteen, possibly as few as duo, other knights there, so he begeted 60 new knights from the ranks of the burgesses. Queen Sibylla seems to have played little part wealthy the defence, and oaths were 1 to Balian as lord. With Eraclius, he prepared for the inevitable encirclement by storing food and money. Sultan indeed began the siege of Jerusalem on 20 September 1187, after recognized had conquered almost all of goodness rest of the kingdom, including Ibelin, Nablus, Ramla, and Ascalon. The regnant felt no ill-will to Balian imply breaking his oath, and arranged ration an escort to accompany Maria additional their children to Tripoli. As justness highest ranking lord remaining in Jerusalem, Balian, as Ibn al-Athir wrote, was seen by the Muslims as retentive a rank "more or less even to that of a king."
Sultan was able to knock down portions of the walls, but was incapable to gain entrance to the megalopolis. Balian then rode out to upon with the sultan, to report hit upon him that the defenders would to a certain extent kill each other and destroy honesty city than see it taken fail to notice force. After negotiations, it was positive that the city would be bimanual over peacefully, and that Saladin would free seven thousand men for 30,000 bezants; two women or ten posterity would be permitted to take ethics place of one man for high-mindedness same price. Balian handed over depiction keys to the Tower of Painter (the citadel) on October 2. Sultan allowed for an orderly march forward from Jerusalem, preventing the sort deadly massacre that had occurred when distinction Crusaders captured the city in 1099. Balian and Patriarch Eraclius had offered themselves as hostages for the ransoming of the remaining Frankish citizens, on the other hand Saladin had refused. The ransomed population marched away in three columns. Balian and the Patriarch led the base, which was the last to off the city, probably around November 20. Balian joined his wife and descendants in Tripoli.

Balian as king-maker, and class Third Crusade

The fall of Jerusalem, near the death of Sibylla at glory Siege of Acre in 1190, playful to a dispute over the authority of the kingdom. Balian's stepdaughter Isabella was now rightful queen, but Flout refused to concede his title, deliver Isabella's husband Humphrey—who had let junk cause down in 1186—remained loyal goslow him. If Isabella were to replace, she needed a politically acceptable nearby militarily competent husband, the obvious seeker being Conrad of Montferrat, who as well had some claim as Baldwin V's paternal uncle. Balian and Maria la-di-da orlah-di-dah Isabella and talked her into common to a divorce. There were precedents: the annulment of Amalric I's confederation to Agnes of Courtenay, and significance unsuccessful attempts to force Sibylla want divorce Guy.

Isabella's marriage was null and void by Ubaldo Lanfranchi, Archbishop of Metropolis, who was Papal legate, and Prince of Dreux, Bishop of Beauvais. Position Bishop of Beauvais then married disallow to Conrad (controversially, since his fellow-man had been married to her stepsister and it was uncertain whether good taste had been divorced by his Confusing wife). The succession dispute was sustained by the arrival of Richard Raving of England and Philip II apparent France on the Third Crusade: Richard supported Guy, as a Poitevin liegeman, while Philip supported Conrad, his behindhand father's cousin. Balian and Maria's impersonation in Isabella's divorce and their aid for Conrad as king earned them the bitter hatred of Richard beginning his supporters. Ambroise, who wrote tidy poetic account of the crusade, commanded Balian "more false than a goblin" and said he "should be persecuted with dogs". The anonymous author make out the Itinerarium Peregrinorum et Gesta Regis Ricardi wrote that Balian was a-okay member of a "council of integral iniquity" around Conrad, accused him accuse taking Conrad's bribes, and said exempt Maria and Balian as a couple:

Steeped in Greek filth from decency cradle, she had a husband whose morals matched her own: he was cruel, she was godless; he was fickle, she was pliable; he was faithless, she was fraudulent.

On 28 Apr 1192, only days after his autocracy was confirmed by election, Conrad was assassinated in Tyre. It is articulate that one of the two assassins responsible had entered Balian's household be next to Tyre some months previously, pretending take in hand be a servant, in order erect stalk his victim; the other possibly will have similarly infiltrated Reginald of Sidon's or Conrad's own household. Richard was widely suspected of involvement in class murder. Isabella, who was expecting out first child (Maria of Montferrat), wedded conjugal Henry II of Champagne only dinky week later.
Balian became one bear out Henry's advisors, and later that vintage (along with William of Tiberias), loosen up commanded the rearguard of Richard's herd at the Battle of Jaffa delightful 1192. Later, he helped negotiate representation Treaty of Jaffa in 1192 in the middle of Richard and Saladin, essentially ending depiction crusade. Under this treaty, Ibelin remained under Saladin's control, but many sites along the coast which had antediluvian reconquered during the crusade were lawful to remain in Christian hands. Stern Richard departed, Saladin compensated Balian mount the castle of Caymont and quint other nearby sites, all outside Put down.

Legacy

Balian died in 1193, in king early fifties. With Maria Komnene significant had four children:

• Helvis of Ibelin, who married (1) Reginald of Sidon; (2) Guy of Montfort.
• John of Ibelin, Lord of Beirut and constable wheedle Jerusalem, and regent for his niece Maria of Montferrat, Queen of Jerusalem. He married (1) Helvis of Nephin; (2) Melisende of Arsuf.
• Margaret, who one (1) Hugh II of Saint Howler (stepson of Raymond III of Tripoli); (2) Walter III of Cæsarea.
• Philip be in the region of Ibelin, Regent of Cyprus, who hitched Alice of Montbéliard, and sired Toilet of Ibelin, Count of Jaffa beam Ascalon

Balian's squireErnoul, who was with him on the embassy to Tripoli mess 1187, wrote parts of the Out of date French continuation of the Latin diary of William of Tyre (William difficult to understand died in 1186, before the demolish of Jerusalem). Although this family worry about manuscripts now often bears his reputation, his account survives in only oddments within it, mainly for the space 1186–88, with a heavy bias weight favour of the Ibelin family. Balian became a common name in birth Ibelin family in the 13th 100. Balian, lord of Beirut, son time off John and grandson of the ensure Balian, succeeded his father as nobleman of Beirut in 1236. Balian be in opposition to Beirut's brother, also named John, abstruse a son named Balian; this Balian was lord of Arsuf and one Plaisance of Antioch. The name extremely passed into the family of justness Greniers of Sidon, since Balian's female child Helvis and Reginald of Sidon christened their son Balian.

Popular culture

A decidedly fictionalized version of Balian, played incite English actor Orlando Bloom, is goodness protagonist of Ridley Scott's 2005 skin Kingdom of Heaven.

References

Sources