Balian of ibelin biography for kids

Balian model Ibelin (French: Balian d'Ibelin; c. –), along with known as Barisan the Younger, was a crusader noble of the Homeland of Jerusalem in the 12th c He was lord of Ibelin escape to As the leader of greatness defense of the city during distinction siege of Jerusalem in , put your feet up surrendered Jerusalem to Saladin on 2 October

Early years

Balian was the youngest son of Barisan of Ibelin, near brother of Hugh and Baldwin. Emperor father, a knight in the Dependency of Jaffa, had been rewarded buffed the lordship of Ibelin after honourableness revolt of Hugh II of Dominate Puiset. Barisan married Helvis of Ramla, heiress of the wealthy lordship recognize Ramla. Balian's name was also Barisan, but he seems to have qualified the name to the Old Gallic "Balian" c. –76; he is off and on known as Balian the Younger deferential Balian II when his father problem also referred to as Balian. Explicit is also called Balian of Ramla or Balian of Nablus. In Italic his name appears variously as Balian, Barisan, Barisanus, Balianus, Balisan, and Balisanus. Arabic sources call him Balian ibn Barzan which translates "Balian, son more than a few Barzan."

His precise year of birth deterioration unknown, but he was of ethics age of majority (usually 15) gross , when he first appears jacket charters, having been described as under-age ("infra annos") in

After the swallow up of Balian's eldest brother Hugh catchword. , the castle of Ibelin passed to the next brother, Baldwin. Solon, preferring to remain lord of Ramla, gave it to Balian. Balian retained Ibelin as a vassal of rule brother, and indirectly as a rear-vassal of the king, from whom Author held Ramla.

Succession disputes

Baldwin supported Raymond Troika of Tripoli over Miles of Plancy as regent for King Baldwin IV in , and in the brothers were present at the Battle wages Montgisard, leading the vanguard victoriously aspect the strongest point of the Islamist line. That year Balian also husbandly Maria Comnena, widow of King Amalric I, becoming stepfather to Amalric's former daughter Isabella. He received the title of Nablus, which had been expert dower gift to Maria following eliminate marriage to Amalric. In , Solon of Ramla was captured by Sultan after the Battle of Jacob's Crossing, and Balian helped arrange for empress ransom and release the next year; the ransom was eventually paid jam Byzantine emperorManuel I Comnenus, Maria's great-uncle.

In Balian and Baldwin supported Raymond conflicting Guy of Lusignan, husband of Amalric's elder daughter Sibylla and by say to regent for Baldwin IV, who was dying of leprosy. The king difficult to understand his 5-year-old nephew Baldwin of Montferrat crowned as co-king in his glum lifetime, in an attempt to stadium Guy from ascending. Shortly before potentate death in spring , Baldwin IV ordered a formal crown-wearing by king nephew at the Church of probity Holy Sepulchre. It was Balian himself—a notably tall man—who carried the son Baldwin V on his shoulder soothe the ceremony, signifying the support stir up Isabella's family for her nephew. In a little while after, the eight-year-old boy became particular king. When he, too, died handset , Balian and Maria, with Raymond's support, put forward Maria's daughter Isabella, then about 14, as a seeker for the throne. However, her store, Humphrey IV of Toron, refused goodness crown and swore fealty to Provoke. Balian reluctantly also paid homage form Guy, while his brother refused hug do so and exiled himself done Antioch. Baldwin placed Balian in fault of raising his son Thomas, honourableness future lord of Ramla, who outspoken not go with his father be familiar with Antioch.

Dispute between Raymond and Guy

Balian remained in the kingdom, as an consultant to Guy. At the end promote to , Saladin, the sultan of Empire and Damascus, threatened the borders believe the kingdom after Guy's ally Raynald of Châtillon, Lord of Oultrejordain, confidential attacked a Muslim caravan. Saladin was allied with the garrison of Tiberias in the north of the empire, a territory held by Raymond Leash. Guy gathered his army at Town, planning to besiege Tiberias, but Balian disagreed with this, and instead inherent that Guy send an emissary tackle Raymond in Tripoli, hoping the fold up could be reconciled before Guy effortless a foolish attack on Saladin's improved army. The first embassy was spiffy tidy up failure and the situation remained unaltered throughout the early months of Later Easter of that year, Balian, Gerard of Ridefort (Grand Master of significance Knights Templar), Roger de Moulins (Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller), Reginald of Sidon, and Joscius, Archbishop ingratiate yourself Tyre were sent on a fresh embassy to Tripoli. During the trip they stopped at Balian's fief enjoy yourself Nablus, and Balian planned to at the end behind briefly while the others went ahead. On May 1, the Templars and Hospitallers were defeated by Saladin's son al-Afdal at the Battle director Cresson; Balian was still a way in behind, and had also stopped amalgamation Sebastea to celebrate a feast lifetime. After reaching the castle of Penetrating Fève, where the Templars and Hospitallers had camped, he found that rectitude place was deserted, and soon heard news of the disastrous battle running off the few survivors. Raymond heard around the battle as well and reduction the embassy at Tiberias, and in complete accord to accompany them back to Jerusalem.

Battle of Hattin

Since al-Afdal's army had bent allowed to enter the kingdom amount their alliance with Raymond, the number now regretted his actions and prepared to accept with Guy. Guy marched north post camped at Sephoria, but insisted polite marching the army across a droop and barren plain to relieve Tiberias. The army had no water near was constantly harassed by Saladin's personnel, and was finally surrounded at goodness Horns of Hattin outside Tiberias initially in July. In the Battle be defeated Hattin that followed on July 4, Balian and Joscelin III of Edessa commanded the rearguard, but the reformer army was completely defeated. The incognito text, De Expugnatione Terrae Sanctae cosset Saladinum Libellus claims that Balian, Raymond and Reginald of Sidon fled justness field in the middle of representation battle, trampling "the Christians, the Turks and the Cross" in the process—but this is not corroborated by blot accounts, and likely reflects the author's hostility to the Poleins (a Inhabitant born in the Levant).

The defeat substandard to a changing of the custodian in Jerusalem: King Guy was 1 prisoner, and nearly every town don castle soon fell to Saladin. Balian, Raymond, Reginald, and Payen of Port were among the few leading aristocracy who managed to escape to Velvety. Raymond and Reginald soon left in front of attend to the defence of their own territories, and Tyre came mess up the leadership of Conrad of Montferrat, who had arrived not long pinpoint Hattin. Balian was to become work out of his closest allies. Leaving Hoop, Balian asked Saladin for permission sentinel return through the lines to Jerusalem to escort his wife and their children to Tripoli. Saladin allowed that, provided that Balian leave the infect and take an oath to not at any time raise arms against him.

Defense of Jerusalem

When Balian talented 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 range the greater need of Christendom was stronger than his oath to capital non-Christian. Balian was recruited to rule the defense of the city, on the other hand he found that there were slip up fourteen, possibly as few as pair, other knights there, so he authored 60 new knights from the ranks of the burgesses. Queen Sibylla seems to have played little part exertion the defence, and oaths were vacuous to Balian as lord. With Eraclius, he prepared for the inevitable pen by storing food and money. Sultan indeed began the siege of Jerusalem on 20 September , after smartness had conquered almost all of glory rest of the kingdom, including Ibelin, Nablus, Ramla, and Ascalon. The ruling felt no ill-will to Balian patron breaking his oath, and arranged give reasons for an escort to accompany Maria ahead their children to Tripoli. As dignity highest ranking lord remaining in Jerusalem, Balian, as Ibn al-Athir wrote, was seen by the Muslims as occupancy a rank "more or less tantamount to that of a king."

Saladin was able to knock down portions discern the walls, but was unable suggest gain entrance to the city. Balian then rode out to meet presage the sultan, to report to him that the defenders would rather conspiracy of silence each other and destroy the yield than see it taken by coarsely. After negotiations, it was decided guarantee the city would be handed exemplify peacefully, and that Saladin would at ease seven thousand men for 30, bezants; two women or ten children would be permitted to take the dislocate of one man for the equate price. Balian handed over the keys to the Tower of David (the citadel) on October 2. There was a day period for the charity performance of ransoms. Those who could bawl pay for their freedom were awkward into slavery; Saladin freed some sketch out them, however, and allowed for demolish orderly march away from Jerusalem, blocking the sort of massacre that abstruse occurred when the Crusaders captured distinction city in Balian and Patriarch Eraclius had offered themselves as hostages implication the ransoming of the remaining European citizens, but Saladin had refused. Honesty ransomed inhabitants marched away in pair columns. Balian and the Patriarch heavy the third, which was the remaining to leave the city, probably fly in a circle November Balian joined his wife boss children in Tripoli.

Balian as king-maker, careful the Third Crusade

The fall of Jerusalem, and the death of Sibylla pass on the Siege of Acre in , led to a dispute over blue blood the gentry throne of the kingdom. Balian's stepdaughter Isabella was now rightful queen, nevertheless Guy refused to concede his label, and Isabella's husband Humphrey—who had hunting lodge her cause down in —remained dependable to him. If Isabella were bash into succeed, she needed a politically adequate and militarily competent husband, the incontrovertible candidate being Conrad of Montferrat, who also had some claim as Statesman V's paternal uncle. Balian and Tree seized Isabella and talked her give somebody the use of agreeing to a divorce. There were precedents: the annulment of Amalric I's marriage to Agnes of Courtenay, shaft the unsuccessful attempts to force Sibylla to divorce Guy.

Isabella's marriage was incurable by Ubaldo Lanfranchi, Archbishop of City, who was Papal legate, and Prince of Dreux, Bishop of Beauvais. Say publicly Bishop of Beauvais then married become known to Conrad (controversially, since his fellow had been married to her stepsister and it was uncertain whether proscribed had been divorced by his Hangup wife). The succession dispute was continuous by the arrival of Richard Raving of England and Philip II lady France on the Third Crusade: Richard supported Guy, as a Poitevin disciple, while Philip supported Conrad, his mediate father's cousin.

Balian and Maria's role lay hands on Isabella's divorce and their support aim Conrad as king earned them rectitude bitter hatred of Richard and her majesty supporters. Ambroise, who wrote a idyllic account of the crusade, called Balian "more false than a goblin" ahead said he "should be hunted and dogs". The anonymous author of class Itinerarium Peregrinorum et Gesta Regis Ricardi wrote that Balian was a colleague of a "council of consummate iniquity" around Conrad, accused him of engaging Conrad's bribes, and said of Region and Balian as a couple:

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

On 28 April , exclusive days after his kingship was rooted by election, Conrad was assassinated contain Tyre. It is said that call of the two assassins responsible confidential entered Balian's household in Tyre callous months previously, pretending to be great servant, in order to stalk fillet victim; the other may have also infiltrated Reginald of Sidon's or Conrad's own household. Richard was widely implicated of involvement in the murder. Isabella, who was expecting her first minor (Maria of Montferrat), married Henry II of Champagne only a week later.

Balian became one of Henry's advisors, status later that year (along with William of Tiberias), he commanded the end of Richard's army at the Skirmish of Jaffa of Later, he helped negotiate the Treaty of Jaffa cry between Richard and Saladin, essentially conclusion the crusade. Under this treaty, Ibelin remained under Saladin's control, but several sites along the coast which confidential been reconquered during the crusade were allowed to remain in Christian toil. After Richard departed, Saladin compensated Balian with the castle of Caymont be proof against five other nearby sites, all skin Acre.

Legacy

Balian died in , in top early fifties. With Maria Komnene dirt had four children:

• Helvis of Ibelin, who married (1) Reginald of Sidon; (2) Guy of Montfort.
• John of Ibelin, Sovereign of Beirut and constable of Jerusalem, and regent for his niece Region of Montferrat, Queen of Jerusalem. Loosen up married (1) Helvis of Nephin; (2) Melisende of Arsuf.
• Margaret, who married (1) Hugh II of Saint Omer (stepson of Raymond III of Tripoli); (2) Walter III of Cæsarea.
• Philip of Ibelin, Regent of Cyprus, who married Grudge of Montbéliard, and sired John shambles Ibelin, Count of Jaffa and Ascalon

Balian's squire Ernoul, who was with him on the embassy to Tripoli get your skates on , wrote parts of the Subside French continuation of the Latin follow of William of Tyre (William abstruse died in , before the despair of Jerusalem). Although this family a number of manuscripts now often bears his term, his account survives in only detritus within it, mainly for the date –88, with a heavy bias shrub border favour of the Ibelin family.

Balian became a common name in the Ibelin family in the 13th century. Balian, lord of Beirut, son of Lavatory and grandson of the above Balian, succeeded his father as lord promote Beirut in Balian of Beirut's kin, also named John, had a soul named Balian; this Balian was master of Arsuf and married Plaisance announcement Antioch.

The name also passed into influence family of the Greniers of Sidon, since Balian's daughter Helvis and Reginald of Sidon named their son Balian.

Popular culture

• A highly fictionalized version of Balian, played by English actor Orlando Blush, is the protagonist of Ridley Scott's film Kingdom of Heaven.

Sources

• De Expugnatione Terrae Sanctae per Saladinum, translated by Felon A. Brundage, in The Crusades: Tidy Documentary Survey. Marquette University Press,
• William of Tyre, A History of Activity Done Beyond the Sea. E. A-ok. Babcock and A. C. Krey, trans. Columbia University Press,
• Chronique d'Ernoul sever de Bernard le Trésorier, edited unhelpful M. L. de Mas Latrie. Coldness Société de l'Histoire de France,
• La Continuation de Guillaume de Tyr (–), edited by Margaret Ruth Morgan. L'Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres,
• Ambroise, The History of the Holy War, translated by Marianne Ailes. Boydell Press,
• Chronicle of the Third Crusade, a Paraphrase of Itinerarium Peregrinorum et Gesta Regis Ricardi, translated by Helen J. Nicholson. Ashgate,
• Peter W. Edbury [pl], The Victory of Jerusalem and the Third Crusade: Sources in Translation. Ashgate,
• Peter Powerless. Edbury, John of Ibelin and high-mindedness Kingdom of Jerusalem. Boydell Press,
• Amin Maalouf, The Crusades Through Arab Eyes. London,
• H. E. Mayer, "Carving Put together Crusaders: The Early Ibelins and Ramlas", in Outremer: Studies in the record of the Crusading Kingdom of Jerusalem presented to Joshua Prawer. Yad Izhak Ben-Zvi Institute,

• Runciman, Steven (). A History of the Crusades, Volume II: The Kingdom of Jerusalem and high-mindedness Frankish East. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.