Editing Baldwin I of Jerusalem (section)

==Early life==

[[File:Ida syni.jpg|thumb|alt=A man riding a horse embraces a woman|A 13th century illustration of Countess Ida bidding farewell to her sons as they depart for the [[First Crusade]]]]

Born some time after 1060,{{sfn|Jaspert|2006|p=41}}{{sfn|Edgington|2019|p=1}} Baldwin was the third son of Count [[Eustace II of Boulogne]] and [[Ida of Lorraine]].{{sfn|Murray|2000|pp=158, 239}} Being his parents' youngest son, he was intended for a career in the Church.{{sfn|Runciman|1989a|p=146}}{{sfn|Murray|2000|pp=30, 158}} He studied the [[liberal arts]] and held [[Prebendary|prebends]] in the cathedrals of [[Cambrai]], [[Rheims]] and [[Liège]].{{sfn|Murray|2000|p=30}} For reasons that are unknown, and at an unspecified time, he abandoned his church career and became a knight.{{sfn|Edgington|2019|p=2}} The historian John France says that Baldwin most probably realised that the [[Gregorian Reform]] had diminished his chance to seize rich [[benefice]]s.{{sfn|France|1994|p=14}} Historian Susan B. Edgington, on the other hand, proposes that Baldwin preferred a secular career because his childless brother, [[Godfrey of Bouillon]], [[duke of Lower Lotharingia]], had taken ill suddenly, giving Baldwin a chance to inherit his duchy.{{sfn|Edgington|2019|pp=2–3}}

Baldwin married a Norman noblewoman, Godehilde of Tosny, whose [[House of Tosny|family]] owned land and property in both [[Duchy of Normandy|Normandy]] and [[England in the High Middle Ages|England]].{{sfn|Runciman|1989a|p=146}}{{sfn|Murray|2000|pp=31, 203}} Baldwin and his wife most probably settled in the court of his eldest brother, Count [[Eustace III of Boulogne]].{{sfn|Murray|2000|p=32}} Eustace and Baldwin jointly fought for their brother, Godfrey, against Count [[Albert III of Namur]] and Bishop [[Theoderic of Verdun]] at [[Stenay]] in 1086.{{sfn|Murray|2000|pp=18, 30}}{{sfn|France|1994|p=45}} Godfrey mentioned Baldwin in most of his [[charter]]s of grant, indicating that Baldwin was regarded as his designated heir.{{sfn|Tanner|2003|p=84}}{{sfn|Murray|2000|pp=21, 32–34}} Baldwin regularly visited the fortress of his wife's family at [[Conches-en-Ouche]].{{sfn|Murray|2000|p=32}}