Baldwin IV

History

Baldwin IV (1161–1185), known as the Leper King, was King of Jerusalem from 1174 until his death in 1185. He was admired by his contemporaries and later historians for his strength of will and dedication to the Latin Kingdom in the face of debilitating leprosy. By choosing competent advisors, Baldwin governed a prosperous Crusader state and managed to protect it from the Muslim ruler Saladin.

Baldwin developed the first symptoms of leprosy as a child, but was only diagnosed after he succeeded his father, King Amalric (r. 1163–1174). From then on, his hands and face became increasingly disfigured. Count Raymond III of Tripoli ruled the kingdom in Baldwin's name until the king came of age in 1176. As soon as he assumed rule, Baldwin planned an invasion of Egypt, which failed due to the lack of cooperation of his vassals. Saladin in turn attacked Baldwin's kingdom in 1177, but was repulsed by the king and the nobleman Reynald of Châtillon at Montgisard, earning Baldwin fame. The young king was a master of horsemanship despite gradually losing feeling in his limbs, and was able to fight in battles until his later years.

Leprosy prevented Baldwin from marrying. He hoped to abdicate when his sister, Sibylla, married William of Montferrat in 1176, but William died the following year. In 1180, to prevent a coup by Count Raymond III of Tripoli and Prince Bohemond III of Antioch, Baldwin had Sibylla marry Guy of Lusignan. Guy encountered opposition from a large fraction of the nobility, and soon permanently deteriorated his relationship with Baldwin. The internal discord that followed forced Baldwin to remain king, as he alone was able to unite the feuding nobility. Baldwin again rejected Saladin in 1182, but leprosy left him blind and unable to walk or use his hands in 1183. He disinherited Guy and crowned Sibylla's son Baldwin V as co-king before having himself carried on a litter to lift Saladin's siege of Kerak. Baldwin failed to have Sibylla's marriage to Guy annulled and Guy's fief of Ascalon confiscated. In early 1185 he arranged for Raymond to rule as regent on behalf of Sibylla's son and died before 16 May.

Disease

To leprosy

Personal information

Name: Baldwin IV of Jerusalem. Siblings and relationship: 1, Sibyl and they get along badly