Editing Baldwin IV of Jerusalem (section)

==Personal rule==
===Planned offensive===
On the second anniversary of his coronation, 15 July 1176, Baldwin reached the age of majority and Raymond's regency lapsed. At the suggestion of his mother, the king appointed his loyal and capable maternal uncle, [[Joscelin III of Courtenay|Joscelin of Courtenay]], to the office of seneschal and arranged for him to marry a rich heiress, Agnes of Milly.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|pp=105–106}} The change in government signaled a new Frankish approach to the Egyptian ruler [[Saladin]], who had encircled the crusader states during Raymond's regency by conquering Muslim principalities in Syria.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=106}} Baldwin did not ratify Raymond's peace treaty with Saladin,{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=105}} firmly agreeing with Joscelin that the sultan's power needed to be curbed.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=239}}

[[File:Map Crusader states 1165-en.svg|thumb|Map of the Near East in {{circa}} 1165. By the time Baldwin IV ascended, the [[Fatimid Caliphate]] had been overthrown by Saladin, who advanced into Zengid territory.]]

As soon as he took over the government, Baldwin began planning a full-scale attack on Egypt with his advisers.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=111}} The king took advantage of Saladin's campaign in [[Aleppo]] to lead a raid around [[Damascus]].{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=105}} This was his first experience of warfare. Despite having use of only one hand, he refused to delegate his military duties and took part in fighting.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=108}} He and his advisers then decided to intervene in Saladin's war against the [[Order of Assassins]]. On 1 August, Baldwin and Raymond led the armies of Jerusalem and Tripoli, respectively, in a raid of the [[Beqaa Valley]] (modern-day Lebanon), where they defeated the garrison of Damascus, forcing Saladin to abandon his campaign.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|pp=107–108}}

William of Montferrat married Baldwin's sister Sibylla in November 1176 and was made count of Jaffa and Ascalon. The nobles had misgivings because they no longer trusted his cousin Emperor Frederick's ability to aid the kingdom. According to [[Sicard of Cremona]], Baldwin offered to [[Abdication|resign the throne]] to William; if he did, William declined because he knew he lacked the support of the nobility.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|pp=109–110}}

In order to carry out his attack on Egypt, Baldwin needed naval support. He thus sent [[Raynald of Châtillon]] to lead an embassy to Emperor Manuel, Raynald's stepson-in-law, in [[Constantinople]] in the winter of 1176–77.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|pp=111–112}} Manuel agreed to take part in the invasion in return for the establishment of Byzantine protectorate over the kingdom and restoration of the [[Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem|Orthodox patriarch]], [[Leontius II of Jerusalem|Leontius II]], in Jerusalem.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|pp=114, 127}} As Raynald's mission was successful, Baldwin consented to his marriage with the [[lady of Transjordan]], [[Stephanie of Milly]].{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=117}}

In April 1177, William of Monferrat fell sick with [[malaria]] in [[Ascalon]].{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=118}}{{sfn|Runciman|1952|p=411}} Baldwin visited him and became gravely ill too. William died in June, leaving Sibylla pregnant and Baldwin incapacitated without a deputy ahead of a major war offensive. The king entrusted the government and military command to Raynald, snubbing the count of Tripoli.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=118}} Baldwin's first cousin Count [[Philip I of Flanders]] arrived in the East in September.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=122}}{{sfn|Runciman|1952|p=414}} He brought to Baldwin financial aid from another cousin, King [[Henry II of England]].{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=12}} Henry was invested because he and Baldwin both belonged to the [[Angevin kings of England|Angevin family]].{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=120}} Still in sickbed in Ascalon, the king had himself taken back to Jerusalem in a litter and convened a general council, on the advice of which he offered regency to Philip.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=122}} Philip declined, and Raynald retained his post.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=123}}

The Byzantines sent a war fleet in preparation of the invasion of Egypt{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|pp=127}} but to Baldwin's regret{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=131}} they withdrew because of the uncooperativeness of Philip of Flanders, Bohemond of Antioch, Raymond of Tripoli, and the grand master of the [[Knights Hospitaller]], [[Roger de Moulins]].{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=130}} Saladin's power remained unchecked, and the Byzantine alliance collapsed.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=131}} Despite the hostility of the Latin patriarch, Amalric of Nesle, Baldwin continued to court the Greek patriarch, Leontius, in hopes that the Byzantines would remain committed to his kingdom.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=138}}

===Initial conflicts with Saladin===
[[File:Baldwin_IV_in_battle.jpg|thumb|alt=A crowned man battling another man, both on horseback|13th-century depiction of Baldwin toppling an enemy at the [[Battle of Montgisard]]]]

Philip left the Kingdom of Jerusalem with his troops in late October 1177 to help Raymond of Tripoli attack the Muslim-held city of [[Hama]].{{sfn|Runciman|1952|p=415}} With the Frankish army in northern Syria, Saladin seized the opportunity to invade Baldwin's kingdom on 18 November.{{sfn|Runciman|1952|p=416}} Though still recovering from malaria, Baldwin rode to meet the sultan,{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=133}} while the [[Knights Templar]] hurried to defend [[Gaza City|Gaza]].{{sfn|Runciman|1952|p=416}} The king took his humble host to Ascalon, where in desperation he issued an ''[[arrière-ban]]'', summoning all able-bodied men. Saladin reached Ascalon on 22 November and Baldwin led the troops out to meet him. Seeing how drastically outnumbered he was, the king retreated into the city. Saladin too saw the strength in his numbers and confidently proceeded towards Jerusalem.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=134}} Baldwin managed to contact the Templars, however, and ordered them to abandon Gaza and join him.{{sfn|Runciman|1952|p=417}} Contrary to the sultan's expectation, Baldwin and Raynald then rode out of Ascalon, joined up with the Templars, and attacked his dispersed army at [[Battle of Montgisard|Montgisard]].{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|pp=135–136}} The young king was in the forefront.{{sfn|Runciman|1952|p=417}} Saladin, who barely survived, suffered a crushing defeat.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|pp=135–136}}

[[File:Ateret-S-164.jpg|thumb|left|Ruined fortress of Le Chastellet]]

Not having enough men to launch an offensive on the retreating Muslims, Baldwin decided to fortify the Damascene frontier. The Templars convinced him to build a castle, [[Chastellet]], on the upper [[Jordan River]]; he was reluctant because the Franks had promised not to mark that part of the border. After protests of local Muslims, Saladin offered money to Baldwin in exchange for aborting the construction, but the king refused.{{sfn|Runciman|1952|p=418}} In 1178, Baldwin hosted the patriarch of the [[Syriac Orthodox Church]], [[Michael the Syrian]], in Jerusalem and won his lasting loyalty to the Frankish cause.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|pp=238–239}}{{sfn|Runciman|1952|p=422}}

In April 1179, Baldwin intended to round up the sheep passing from Damascus to [[Banias]]. Saladin's nephew [[Farrukh Shah]] was sent to investigate the king's movement but suddenly ran into him, and a skirmish followed.{{sfn|Runciman|1952|p=419}} The elderly but exceptionally able constable, [[Humphrey II of Toron]], sustained fatal wounds while protecting the king. Weeks later Baldwin rode out to intercept [[Bedouin]] raids of [[Lordship of Beirut|Beirut]] and [[Lordship of Sidon|Sidon]], and in June Saladin's raiding party [[rout]]ed Baldwin's. The king was unhorsed and carried to safety on a knight's back because he could not remount on his own.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=143}} In late August, Baldwin summoned a host to [[Tiberias]] to respond to Saladin's [[siege of Le Chastellet]], but the castle fell before the relic of the [[True Cross]] could be fetched from Jerusalem to accompany the Christian troops.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=146}}

===Rise of factions===
In the winter of 1177–78 the king's widowed sister, Sibylla, gave birth to a son, [[Baldwin V of Jerusalem|Baldwin]], named after the king. A year of [[official mourning]] for the child's father, William, concluded in June 1178 and it became appropriate to seek another husband for her. [[Baldwin of Ibelin]]'s suit was well known, but not entertained. [[Balian of Ibelin]] married the king's stepmother, Queen Maria, in late 1177; Hamilton believes that the king allowed the match in order to avoid antagonizing the [[House of Ibelin|Ibelins]]. In July 1178 Baldwin IV began associating Sibylla with him in some public acts, thereby acknowledging her as next in line to the throne.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=139}} He contemplated her marriage to Duke [[Hugh III of Burgundy]], and wrote to the king of France: "To be deprived of the use of one's limbs is of little help to one in carrying out the work of government ... It is not fitting that a hand so weak as mine should hold power when fear of Arab aggression daily presses upon the Holy City and when my sickness increases the enemy's daring."{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=140}}

[[File:Wedding of Sibyl and Guy ahead of a coup.jpg|thumb|[[Raymond III, Count of Tripoli|Raymond]] and [[Bohemond III of Antioch|Bohemond]] arriving in Jerusalem to find [[Sibylla, Queen of Jerusalem|Sibylla]] married to [[Guy of Lusignan|Guy]]]]

During the [[Holy Week]] in 1180, the prince of Antioch and the count of Tripoli marched with their armies to Jerusalem. Hamilton considers it most likely that their intention was to force the king to have Sibylla marry Baldwin of Ibelin and to then abdicate.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|pp=154–155}} The king had never approved of Baldwin's ambition to marry his sister, and though he did wish to abdicate, he was not keen on having terms forced on him.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=155}} Baldwin acted decisively before his kinsmen's armies reached Jerusalem: he arranged for Sibylla to marry a [[Poitou|Poitevin]] knight, [[Guy of Lusignan]]. Raymond and Bohemond had no option but to accept the ''[[fait accompli]]'', and the coup was foiled.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=156}}

Baldwin had hoped to abdicate, but was prevented by a deep rift within his court.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=158}} The historian [[Steven Runciman]] speaks of a division already at the beginning of Baldwin's reign between the cautious, diplomatic native barons and the Hospitallers on one side and the "aggressive, militantly Christian" newcomers from Western Europe and Templars on the other.{{sfn|Runciman|1952|p=405}} This view, though common in older historiography, is rejected by modern authors such as Bernard Hamilton and Peter Edbury. Hamilton posits that the factions arose only after Sibylla's marriage to Guy and centered on the king's paternal relatives (cousins Raymond of Tripoli and Bohemond of Antioch; stepmother, Maria; and her new family, the Ibelins) and maternal relatives (mother, Agnes; stepfather, Reynald of Sidon; sister, Sibylla; brother-in-law, Guy; uncle, Joscelin; and Raynald of Châtillon), of whom the king supported the latter.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=158}} In light of these problems, Baldwin proposed a two-year truce with Saladin, who was glad to accept in order to campaign freely in northern Syria.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=159}} Baldwin sent his uncle and chief minister, Joscelin, to assure the Byzantine court that Jerusalem still needed their protection. During Joscelin's absence, from mid-1180 to mid-1181, the full burden of government fell on the shoulders of the king, whose health was deteriorating. He relied chiefly on his mother in this period.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|pp=159–160}}

To secure Guy's position and prevent the emergence of an alternative claimant, Baldwin had his eight-year-old half-sister, Isabella, solemnly betrothed to the teenage [[lord of Toron]], [[Humphrey IV]], in October 1180. Isabella was then sent to live at [[Kerak Castle]] with the lady of Transjordan, Humphrey's mother, as far as possible from her maternal kin and potential conspirators.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=161}} By the terms of the marriage contract, Humphrey ceded [[Toron]] to Baldwin, who thus prevented the union of two great fiefs under one vassal and strengthened his position against the count of Tripoli.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|pp=161–162}}
{{chart top|Baldwin IV's family,{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|pp=xviii, xx}} including the Courtenay party (blue rectangular) and their opponents (red rounded){{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=158}}}}
{{chart/start|align=center}}
{{tree chart |border=0| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Baldwin|y|Morphia|Baldwin=[[Baldwin II of Jerusalem]]|Morphia=[[Morphia of Melitene]]}} 
{{tree chart |border=0| | | | | | | | | | | |,|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|^|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|v|-|-|-|.|}} 
{{tree chart |border=0|Eremburga|y|~|Fulk|~|y|Melisende|,|-|-|-|.| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Alice| |Hodierna|Joscelin=[[Joscelin II of Edessa]]|Fulk=[[Fulk V of Anjou]]|Melisende=[[Melisende of Jerusalem]]|Beatrice=[[Beatrice of Saone]]|Alice=[[Alice of Antioch|Alice of Jerusalem]]|Hodierna=[[Hodierna of Jerusalem]]|Eremburga=[[Eremburga of Maine]]}} 
{{tree chart |border=0| |,|-|^|-|.| | | |)|-|-|-|a|-|-|-|a|-|-|-|.| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |!| | | |!|}} 
{{tree chart |border=0|Geoffrey| |Sibylla| |Baldwin| |Joscelin| |Agnes|y|Amalric|y|Maria|~|Balian| |Stephanie|~|Raynald|~|Constance| |Raymond|William=[[William V of Montferrat]]|Amalric=[[Amalric of Jerusalem]]|Maria=[[Maria Komnene, Queen of Jerusalem|Maria Komnene]]|Balian=[[Balian of Ibelin]]|Agnes=[[Agnes of Courtenay]]|Joscelin=[[Joscelin III of Courtenay|Joscelin of Courtenay]]|Constance=[[Constance of Antioch]]|Raymond=[[Raymond III of Tripoli]]|Baldwin=[[Baldwin III of Jerusalem]]|Geoffrey=[[Geoffrey V of Anjou]]|Sibylla=[[Sibylla of Anjou]]|Raynald=[[Raynald of Châtillon]]|Stephanie=[[Stephanie of Milly]]
|boxstyle_Agnes=border: 1px solid blue;
|boxstyle_Joscelin=border: 1px solid blue;
|boxstyle_Maria=border: 1px solid red; border-radius: 0.5em;
|boxstyle_Balian=border: 1px solid red; border-radius: 0.5em;
|boxstyle_Raymond=border: 1px solid red; border-radius: 0.5em;
|boxstyle_Raynald=border: 1px solid blue;}}
{{tree chart |border=0| |!| | | |!| | | | | | | |,|-|-|-|-|-|^|-|.| |`|-|.| | | | | | | |!| | | |,|-|-|-|+|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|.|}} 
{{tree chart |border=0|Henry| |Philip| |William|y|Sibylla|~|Guy| |Baldwin| |Isabella|~|~|~|~|~|Humphrey| |Bohemond| |Maria|~|Manuel| |BaldwinA|William=[[William of Montferrat, Count of Jaffa and Ascalon|William of Montferrat]]|Sibylla=[[Sibylla of Jerusalem]]|Guy=[[Guy of Lusignan]]|Isabella=[[Isabella I of Jerusalem]]|Humphrey=[[Humphrey IV of Toron]]|Baldwin='''Baldwin IV of Jerusalem'''|Bohemond=[[Bohemond III of Antioch]]|Henry=[[Henry II of England]]|Philip=[[Philip I of Flanders]]|Maria=[[Maria of Antioch]]|Manuel=[[Manuel I Komnenos]]|BaldwinA=[[Baldwin of Antioch]]
|boxstyle_Sibylla=border: 1px solid blue;
|boxstyle_Guy=border: 1px solid blue;
|boxstyle_Humphrey=border: 1px solid blue;
|boxstyle_Baldwin=border: 1px solid blue;
|boxstyle_Bohemond=border: 1px solid red; border-radius: 0.5em;}} 
{{tree chart |border=0| | | | | | | | | | | |!|}} 
{{tree chart |border=0| | | | | | | | | | |Baldwin| | | |Baldwin=[[Baldwin V of Jerusalem]]}} 
{{chart/end}}
{{chart bottom}}

===Truce and resumed hostilities===
[[File:Dirham Saladin.jpg|thumb|Saladin as depicted on a [[dirham]] coin, c. 1190]]

Baldwin made use of the truce with Saladin to strengthen the position of his maternal kin, granting Maron and [[Chastel Neuf]] to Joscelin and [[usufruct]] of Toron to Agnes, while associating Guy and Sibylla with him in public acts. He remained unreconciled with Raymond, however, and forbade the count to enter the kingdom in early 1182 owing to suspicions of another conspiracy.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=167}} Baldwin likely intended to charge Raymond with treason and deprive him of the [[Principality of Galilee]], a [[vassals of the Kingdom of Jerusalem|fief of Jerusalem]] held by Raymond through marriage to [[Eschiva of Bures]]. The law prevented the king from seizing the fief without the assent of the High Court, and the High Court urged the king to reconcile with Raymond; Baldwin reluctantly heeded his vassals' advice.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=168}}

Baldwin's truce with Saladin was due to expire in May 1182{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=168}} but was broken in mid-1181 by Raynald, who seized a merchant caravan on its way from Egypt to Damascus.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=171}} Raynald ignored the king's request to make restitution to Saladin, who was then preparing to annex the [[Zengid]]-ruled [[Aleppo]].{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=171}} The king, who consistently acted against Saladin's attempts to expand into northern Syria, decided to oppose him.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|pp=172–178}} The recent [[Massacre of the Latins|anti-Catholic coup in Constantinople]] gave Saladin confidence to attack the Kingdom of Jerusalem. In July, Baldwin marched with his host to relieve the Muslims' siege of [[Bethsan]], and his outnumbered army won the [[Battle of Le Forbelet]].{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=174}} Historian Bernard Hamilton attributes the victory to the respect and loyalty commanded by Baldwin,{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=175}} who stayed on the battlefield despite his illness and intense heat.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=174}}

The defeated sultan took his host to besiege Beirut, while another army from Egypt attacked the south of the kingdom. Baldwin knew that he was being provoked into dividing his forces. Deciding that Beirut was of a greater strategic importance, he ignored the southern attack and moved with his troops to [[Tyre, Lebanon|Tyre]]. From there he procured assistance from the Italian [[maritime republics]] in lifting Saladin's naval blockade of Beirut.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=175}} Saladin abandoned the siege, but declined to make a truce, worrying Baldwin and his advisers.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=176}} He proceeded north to fight the Zengids, thereby expanding his realm, while Baldwin led an attack on Saladin's Damascene territory, then on [[Bosra]], before finally laying siege and capturing [[Cave de Sueth]].{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|pp=177–178}} In the winter of 1182–1183, after agreeing on a strategy with his council, Baldwin attacked Damascus again. He threatened to destroy a mosque in [[Darayya]], but local Christians convinced him not to for fear of losing their churches in retaliation.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=179}}