Editing Aimery of Cyprus (section)

== Constable of Jerusalem ==

[[File:Gui sybila.jpg|thumb|right|alt=A young crowned man (surrounded by bishops and clerics) puts the hands of a young woman and man together|Marriage of Aimery's younger brother, [[Guy of Lusignan]], and [[Sibylla, Queen of Jerusalem|Sibylla]], the sister of [[Baldwin IV of Jerusalem]]]]
[[File:Map Crusader states 1197-en.svg|thumb|The eastern Mediterranean in 1197, during Aimery's reign.]]

Aimery was first mentioned as [[Constable of Jerusalem]] on 24 February 1182.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=167}} According to [[Steven Runciman]] and Malcolm Barber, he had already been granted the office shortly after his predecessor, [[Humphrey II of Toron]], died in April 1179.{{sfn|Runciman|1989a|pp=419, 424}}{{sfn|Barber|2012|p=274}} Historian Bernard Hamilton writes that Aimery's appointment was the consequence of the growing influence of his brother and he was appointed only around 1181.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=167}}

[[Saladin]], the [[Ayyubid dynasty|Ayyubid]] sultan of Egypt and Syria, launched a campaign against the Kingdom of Jerusalem on 29 September 1183.{{sfn|Lock|2006|p=66}}{{sfn|Barber|2012|p=281}} Aimery defeated the sultan's troops in a minor skirmish with the support of his father-in-law and his brother, [[Balian of Ibelin]]. After the victory, the crusaders' main army could advance as far as a spring near Saladin's camp, forcing him to retreat nine days later.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=190}} During the campaign, it turned out that most barons of the realm were unwilling to cooperate with Aimery's brother, Guy, who was the designated heir to Baldwin IV.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=191}} The ailing king dismissed Guy and made his five-year-old nephew (Guy's stepson), [[Baldwin V of Jerusalem|Baldwin V]], his co-ruler on 20 November 1183.{{sfn|Lock|2006|p=68}}

In early 1185, Baldwin IV decreed that the Pope, the [[Holy Roman Emperor]] and the Kings of France and England were to be approached to choose between his sister, Sybilla, and their half-sister, [[Isabella I of Jerusalem|Isabella]], if Baldwin V died before reaching the age of majority.{{sfn|Runciman|1989a|p=443}} The leper king died in April or May 1185, his nephew in late summer of 1186.{{sfn|Lock|2006|p=70}} Ignoring Baldwin IV's decree, Sybilla was proclaimed queen by her supporters and she crowned her husband, Guy, king.{{sfn|Runciman|1989a|pp=447–448}} Aimery was not listed among those who were present at the ceremony, but he obviously supported his brother and sister-in-law, according to Hamilton.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=218}}

As Constable, Aimery organised the army of the Kingdom of Jerusalem into units before the [[Battle of Hattin]], which ended with the decisive victory of Saladin on 4 July 1187.{{sfn|Barber|2012|pp=303–304, 365}} Along with most commanders of the Christian army, Aimery was captured in the battlefield.{{sfn|Barber|2012|p=304}} During the siege of [[Ascalon]], Saladin promised the defenders that he would set free ten persons whom they named if they surrendered.{{sfn|Barber|2012|p=309}} Aimery and Guy were among those whom the defenders named before surrendering on 4 September, but Saladin postponed their release until the spring of 1188.{{sfn|Painter|1969|p=55}}

Most barons of the realm thought that Guy lost his claim to the Kingdom of Jerusalem when Sybilla and their two daughters died in late 1190, but Aimery remained loyal to his brother.{{sfn|Runciman|1989b|p=30}}{{sfn|Edbury|1994|pp=26–27}} Guy's opponents supported [[Conrad of Montferrat]] who married Sybilla's half-sister Isabella in late November.{{sfn|Runciman|1989b|p=31}} An assembly of the noblemen of the realm unanimously declared Conrad the lawful king on 16 April 1192.{{sfn|Runciman|1989b|p=64}} Although Conrad was murdered twelve days later, his widow soon married [[Henry II of Champagne]], who was elected King of Jerusalem.{{sfn|Lock|2006|pp=77–78}} To compensate Guy for the loss of Jerusalem, [[Richard I of England]] authorized him to purchase the island of [[Cyprus]] (that Richard had conquered in May 1191) from the [[Knights Templar]].{{sfn|Runciman|1989b|pp=66–67}} He was also to pay 40,000 [[bezant]]s to Richard who donated the right to collect the sum from Guy to Henry.{{sfn|Edbury|1994|p=28}} Guy settled in Cyprus in early May.{{sfn|Runciman|1989b|p=67}}

Aimery remained in the Kingdom of Jerusalem,{{sfn|Runciman|1989b|p=67}} which was reduced to a narrow strip of land along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea from [[Jaffa]] to [[Tyre, Lebanon|Tyre]].{{sfn|Lock|2006|p=78}} King Henry ordered the expulsion of the merchants from [[Pisa]] from [[Acre (city)|Acre]] in May, because he accused them of plotting with Guy of Lusignan.{{sfn|Runciman|1989b|p=83}} After Aimery intervened on behalf of the merchants, Henry had him arrested. Aimery was only released at the demand of the [[Grand Master (order)|grand master]]s of the Templars and the [[Hospitallers]]. He retired to Jaffa, which King Richard had granted to Aimery's eldest brother, [[Geoffrey of Lusignan]].{{sfn|Runciman|1989b|p=84}}