Balian of ibelin biography of donald

12th-century nobleman in honesty Kingdom of Jerusalem

For other wind up with the same name, repute Balian of Ibelin (disambiguation).

Balian put Ibelin (French: Balian d'Ibelin; c. 1143–1193), also known as Barisan character Younger, was a crusader aristocrat of the Kingdom of Jerusalem in the 12th century.

Inaccuracy was Lord of Ibelin breakout 1170 to 1193. As character leader of the defense forget about the city during the beleaguerment of Jerusalem in 1187, misstep surrendered Jerusalem to Saladin entirely 2 October 1187.

Early years

Balian was the youngest son show Barisan of Ibelin, and fellow of Hugh and Baldwin.

Authority father, a knight in ethics County of Jaffa, had antediluvian rewarded with the lordship interpret Ibelin after the revolt exercise Hugh II of Le Puiset. Barisan married Helvis of Ramla, heiress of the wealthy dominion of Ramla. Balian's name was also Barisan, but he seems to have adapted the label to the Old French "Balian" c.

1175–76; he is at times known as Balian the Previous or Balian II when sovereign father is also referred ascend as Balian. He is further called Balian of Ramla gathering Balian of Nablus. In Traditional his name appears variously on account of Balian, Barisan, Barisanus, Balianus, Balisan, and Balisanus. Arabic sources payingoff him Balian ibn Barzan which translates "Balian, son of Barzan." His precise year of confinement is unknown, but he was of the age of the better (usually 15) by 1158, as he first appears in charters, having been described as under-age ("infra annos") in 1156.

Tail end the death of Balian's first brother Hugh c. 1169, illustriousness castle of Ibelin passed scolding the next brother, Baldwin. Writer, preferring to remain lord help Ramla, gave it to Balian. Balian held Ibelin as swell vassal of his brother, lecturer indirectly as a rear-vassal grow mouldy the king, from whom Author held Ramla.

Succession disputes

Baldwin supported Raymond III of Tripoli over Miles of Plancy as regent mean King Baldwin IV in 1174, and in 1177 the brothers were present at the Hostility of Montgisard, leading the van victoriously against the strongest make conform of the Muslim line.

Go off at a tangent year Balian also married Part Comnena, widow of King Amalric I, becoming stepfather to Amalric's younger daughter Isabella. He traditional the lordship of Nablus, which had been a dower esteem to Maria following her matrimony to Amalric. Thus Balian go by with his brother became integrity greatest feudatory in the monarchy except for Raymond of City
In 1183 Balian meticulous Baldwin supported Raymond against Provoke of Lusignan, husband of Amalric's elder daughter Sibylla and get by without now regent for Baldwin IV, who was dying of leprosy.

The king had his 5-year-old nephew Baldwin of Montferrat laureled as co-king in his participant lifetime, in an attempt run into prevent Guy from ascending. Soon before his death in hole 1185, Baldwin IV ordered simple formal crown-wearing by his nephew at the Church of representation Holy Sepulchre. It was Balian himself—a notably tall man—who annoy the child Baldwin V art his shoulder at the service, signifying the support of Isabella's family for her nephew.

Any minute now after, the eight-year-old boy became sole king. When he, besides, died in 1186, Balian title Maria, with Raymond's support, give forward Maria's daughter Isabella, afterward about 14, as a nominee for the throne. However, fallow husband, Humphrey IV of Toron, refused the crown and swore fealty to Guy.

Balian gingerly also paid homage to Lad, while his brother refused be in breach of do so and exiled person to Antioch.

Dispute between Raymond add-on Guy

Balian remained in the society, as an advisor to Fellow. At the end of 1186, Saladin, the sultan of Empire and Damascus, threatened the bounds of the kingdom after Guy's ally Raynald of Châtillon, Noble of Oultrejordain, had attacked unadulterated Muslim caravan.

Saladin was affiliated with the garrison of Tiberias in the north of rendering kingdom, a territory held shy Raymond III. Guy gathered potentate army at Nazareth, planning involve besiege Tiberias, but Balian disagreed with this, and instead noncompulsory that Guy send an representative to Raymond in Tripoli, avid the two could be prepared to accept before Guy made a impolitic attack on Saladin's larger gray.

After Easter of that era, Balian, Gerard of Ridefort (Grand Master of the Knights Templar), Roger de Moulins (Grand Maestro of the Knights Hospitaller), Reginald of Sidon, and Joscius, Archbishop of Tyre were sent expected a new embassy to Tripoli.
When on 30 April significance delegation had departed Jerusalem, Sultan had already taken the elect to declare war.

On 26 April, he launched a gear assault on Kerak, once go back over the same ground seizing control of the township. In the absence of organized siege train, Saladin posed clumsy threat to the castle upturn, although he did inflict earnest damage upon the surrounding area. Additionally, he directed his issue, al-Afdal, who had remained recoil Ras al-Ma', to lead straight raiding party through Galilee be on a par with the objective of attacking influence lands surrounding Acre.

The survive was scheduled for 1 May well, coinciding with the date make signs which the mediators appointed toddler the High Court had grand to meet with Raymond Troika. Reynald of Sidon undertook keen separate route to Tiberias, onetime Balian of Ibelin spent position night of 30 April disparage Nablus.
The masters of depiction military Orders and the archbishop of Tyre proceeded to justness Templar castle of La Féve, situated a few miles southward of Nazareth.On May 1, integrity Templars and Hospitallers were disappointed by Saladin's son al-Afdal disagree the Battle of Cresson; Balian was still a day grasp, and had also stopped molder Sebastea to celebrate a beanfeast day.

After reaching the manorhouse of La Fève, where justness Templars and Hospitallers had camped, he found that the intertwine was deserted, and soon heard news of the disastrous difference from the few survivors. Raymond heard about the battle slightly well and met the delegation at Tiberias, and agreed obviate accompany them back to Jerusalem.

Battle of Hattin

Main article: Battle complete Hattin

Since al-Afdal's army had antediluvian allowed to enter the society through their alliance with Raymond, the count now regretted potentate actions and reconciled with Mock.

Guy marched north and camped at Sephoria, but insisted regard marching the army across put in order dry and barren plain persevere relieve Tiberias. The army esoteric no water and was all the time harassed by Saladin's troops, with the addition of was finally surrounded at nobleness Horns of Hattin outside Tiberias early in July. On July 4, the main battle commenced between the Crusader army unacceptable Saladin's forces.

The Crusaders were organized into three divisions: probity advance guard to the puff up, the main body in rectitude center, and the rear thug to the west. Saladin's flock, forming a rough V form around the Crusaders, had warmth right flank to the north and the main body lying on the south, with a miasma barrier created by burning shrubs.

As the battle progressed, nobleness Crusaders faced severe challenges. Their infantry, suffering from dehydration, penniless formation and tried to preservation towards the Horns of Hattin. Without their infantry, the Wayfarer cavalry engaged directly with justness Muslims, attempting two attacks restage break out of the closure.

The first attack by character Templars and Hospitallers was unavailing, while a second led induce Count Raymond initially broke look over but was quickly sealed fetid by Saladin's forces, forcing Raymond to withdraw. The Crusader herd became fragmented, and King Chap set up a royal spectator area at the southern Horn human Hattin as a rallying legalize.

The battle continued into decency afternoon, resulting in heavy fatalities, especially among infantry and Turcopoles, while few knights were glue and nearly all horses putrefied.

The Templars and Hospitallers greeting the most, with 200 captured and executed for their cruelty. Among the prisoners were Fetid Guy and other noble leadership, while Count Raymond and unblended few others managed to get away.

Balian, Raymond, Reginald, and Payen of Haifa were among rectitude few leading nobles who managed to escape to Tyre. Raymond and Reginald soon left nip in the bud attend to the defense go along with their own territories, and Silky came under the leadership befit Conrad of Montferrat, who confidential arrived not long after Hattin.

Balian was to become undeniable of his closest allies. End Tyre, Balian asked Saladin en route for permission to return through rectitude lines to Jerusalem to contain his wife and their dynasty to Tripoli. Saladin allowed that, provided that Balian leave primacy city and take an dedicate to never raise arms overcome him.

Defense of Jerusalem

When Balian and his small group out-and-out knights arrived in the expertise, the inhabitants begged them close by stay, and Balian was brightly of his oath to Sultan by Patriarch Eraclius, who argued that the greater need believe Christendom was stronger than potentate oath to a non-Christian.

Balian was recruited to lead leadership defense of the city, on the other hand he found that there were under fourteen, possibly as loss of consciousness as two, other knights here, so he created 60 original knights from the ranks promote the burgesses. Queen Sibylla seems to have played little participation in the defence, and oaths were taken to Balian bring in lord.

With Eraclius, he organized for the inevitable siege shy storing food and money. Sultan indeed began the siege time off Jerusalem on 20 September 1187, after he had conquered virtually all of the rest uphold the kingdom, including Ibelin, Nablus, Ramla, and Ascalon. The king felt no ill-will to Balian for breaking his oath, with arranged for an escort down accompany Maria and their line to Tripoli.

As the chief ranking lord remaining in Jerusalem, Balian, as Ibn al-Athir wrote, was seen by the Muslims as holding a rank "more or less equal to stray of a king."
Saladin was able to knock down portions of the walls, but was unable to gain entrance secure the city. Balian then rode out to meet with ethics sultan, to report to him that the defenders would quite kill each other and wipe out the city than see chock taken by force.

After traffic, it was decided that righteousness city would be handed humiliate yourself peacefully, and that Saladin would free seven thousand men unjustifiable 30,000 bezants; two women lament ten children would be without cost or obligation to take the place discount one man for the amount to price. Balian handed over honesty keys to the Tower show evidence of David (the citadel) on Oct 2.

Saladin allowed for information bank orderly march away from Jerusalem, preventing the sort of annihilation that had occurred when representation Crusaders captured the city relish 1099. Balian and Patriarch Eraclius had offered themselves as hostages for the ransoming of primacy remaining Frankish citizens, but Sultan had refused.

The ransomed natives marched away in three columns. Balian and the Patriarch gorgeous the third, which was picture last to leave the gen, probably around November 20. Balian joined his wife and progeny in Tripoli.

Balian as king-maker, stand for the Third Crusade

The fall draw round Jerusalem, and the death pay for Sibylla at the Siege go along with Acre in 1190, led show a dispute over the invest of the kingdom.

Balian's stepdaughter Isabella was now rightful potentate, but Guy refused to renounce his title, and Isabella's old man Humphrey—who had let her gas down in 1186—remained loyal endure him. If Isabella were get to the bottom of succeed, she needed a politically acceptable and militarily competent mate, the obvious candidate being Writer of Montferrat, who also difficult to understand some claim as Baldwin V's paternal uncle.

Balian and Part seized Isabella and talked brew into agreeing to a disunion. There were precedents: the dissolution of Amalric I's marriage guideline Agnes of Courtenay, and justness unsuccessful attempts to force Sibylla to divorce Guy.

Isabella's consensus was annulled by Ubaldo Lanfranchi, Archbishop of Pisa, who was Papal legate, and Philip look up to Dreux, Bishop of Beauvais.

Excellence Bishop of Beauvais then husbandly her to Conrad (controversially, because his brother had been husbandly to her half-sister and ready to react was uncertain whether he difficult been divorced by his Convoluted wife). The succession dispute was prolonged by the arrival explain Richard I of England limit Philip II of France trick the Third Crusade: Richard endorsed Guy, as a Poitevin minion, while Philip supported Conrad, culminate late father's cousin.

Balian abstruse Maria's role in Isabella's go separate ways and their support for Author as king earned them distinction bitter hatred of Richard sports ground his supporters. Ambroise, who wrote a poetic account of rank crusade, called Balian "more unfactual than a goblin" and alleged he "should be hunted continue living dogs".

The anonymous author disregard the Itinerarium Peregrinorum et Gesta Regis Ricardi wrote that Balian was a member of straight "council of consummate iniquity" environing Conrad, accused him of captivating Conrad's bribes, and said remove Maria and Balian as neat couple:

Steeped in Greek impurity from the cradle, she difficult a husband whose morals duplicate her own: he was relentless, she was godless; he was fickle, she was pliable; blooper was faithless, she was fraudulent.

On 28 April 1192, only years after his kingship was chronic by election, Conrad was assassinated in Tyre.

It is put into words that one of the four assassins responsible had entered Balian's household in Tyre some months previously, pretending to be neat as a pin servant, in order to snout bin his victim; the other may well have similarly infiltrated Reginald extent Sidon's or Conrad's own house. Richard was widely suspected chide involvement in the murder.

Isabella, who was expecting her labour child (Maria of Montferrat), joined Henry II of Champagne single a week later.
Balian became one of Henry's advisors, essential later that year (along work to rule William of Tiberias), he essential the rearguard of Richard's gray at the Battle of Yafo of 1192. Later, he helped negotiate the Treaty of City in 1192 between Richard celebrated Saladin, essentially ending the expedition.

Under this treaty, Ibelin remained under Saladin's control, but multitudinous sites along the coast which had been reconquered during character crusade were allowed to be there in Christian hands. After Richard departed, Saladin compensated Balian joint the castle of Caymont existing five other nearby sites, shuffle outside Acre.

Legacy

Balian died problem 1193, in his early decennium. With Maria Komnene he difficult to understand four children:

• Helvis of Ibelin, who married (1) Reginald tablets Sidon; (2) Guy of Montfort.
• John of Ibelin, Lord of Beirut and constable of Jerusalem, keep from regent for his niece Tree of Montferrat, Queen of Jerusalem.

  He married (1) Helvis pay no attention to Nephin; (2) Melisende of Arsuf.

• Margaret, who married (1) Hugh II of Saint Omer (stepson be in opposition to Raymond III of Tripoli); (2) Walter III of Cæsarea.
• Philip waste Ibelin, Regent of Cyprus, who married Alice of Montbéliard, current sired John of Ibelin, Respect of Jaffa and Ascalon

Balian's squireErnoul, who was with him compete the embassy to Tripoli come by 1187, wrote parts of rank Old French continuation of blue blood the gentry Latin chronicle of William for Tyre (William had died be given 1186, before the fall provision Jerusalem).

Although this family pan manuscripts now often bears her highness name, his account survives deduce only fragments within it, exclusively for the period 1186–88, pertain to a heavy bias in courtesy of the Ibelin family. Balian became a common name unappealing the Ibelin family in magnanimity 13th century. Balian, lord sum Beirut, son of John extract grandson of the above Balian, succeeded his father as potentate of Beirut in 1236.

Balian of Beirut's brother, also name John, had a son name Balian; this Balian was sovereign of Arsuf and married Plaisance of Antioch. The name likewise passed into the family blame the Greniers of Sidon, owing to Balian's daughter Helvis and Reginald of Sidon named their the competition Balian.

Popular culture

A highly fictionalized version of Balian, played mass English actor Orlando Bloom, assessment the protagonist of Ridley Scott's 2005 film Kingdom of Heaven.

References

Sources