Amalric, Lord of Tyre facts for kids

Amalric, Lord of Tyre, also called Amalric of Lusignan, was a prince and important leader from the House of Lusignan. He was born around 1272 in Nicosia, which is in Cyprus. Amalric was a younger son of King Hugh III of Cyprus and Isabella of Ibelin.

In 1291, he was given the title of Lord of Tyre. This happened shortly before the city of Tyre was captured by the Mamluks of Egypt. Later, in April 1306, Amalric took control of Cyprus from his brother, King Henry II. He then ruled Cyprus as its "rector, governor, and administrator" until he was killed in 1310.

Amalric's Life and Leadership

Amalric was involved in important historical events. He was present at the Fall of Tripoli in 1289. During this event, he led a group of knights and ships from Cyprus. He managed to escape the siege of Tripoli.

Early Roles and Battles

In April 1289, Amalric became the Constable of Jerusalem. This was an important military role. A year later, in 1290, he became the Lord of Tyre. He also played a key part in the siege of Acre in 1291. He was in charge of a specific tower called the Accursed Tower. After the fall of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, he escaped with his brother, King Henry II.

Working with the Mongols

In 1300, Amalric tried to work with the Mongols. He hoped that together they could take back the Holy Land. Amalric and other Cypriots took control of the island of Ruad. However, the Mongols did not arrive as planned. Because of this, the Western forces had to leave the island. Eventually, they lost Ruad completely in the Siege of Ruad.

Taking Control of Cyprus

Amalric's brother, King Henry II, became unpopular in Cyprus. With the help of the Knights Templar and some important nobles, Amalric took over power. On April 26, 1306, he became the "Governor and Rector" of Cyprus. This change was peaceful because King Henry had very few supporters. Henry was simply taken away and kept in Strovolos.

Amalric's Rule and Challenges

At first, Amalric's rule was well-liked by the people. He improved relationships with important trading cities like Venice and Genoa. He also made things better with the Hospitallers, another group of knights.

However, things became difficult when the Order of the Knights Templar was being shut down in 1307. Amalric had to follow the Pope's orders to arrest the Templars in Cyprus. This led to a small uprising in January 1308 by people who supported King Henry. The uprising quickly failed. Still, Amalric had to arrest several nobles. In April, some of these nobles were sent away to Armenia. In February 1310, Amalric sent his brother Henry into exile in Armenia.

Amalric was killed in Nicosia on June 5, 1310. He was buried at Santa Sophia in Nicosia. After his death, his brother Aimery was briefly made Governor of Nicosia. But Aimery was soon defeated and imprisoned, and King Henry II was brought back to power.

Amalric's Family

In 1292 or 1293, Amalric married Isabella, a princess from Cilician Armenia. They were married in Nicosia. They had several children:

• Hugh (died between 1318 and 1323 in Cilicia). He was the Lord of Crusoche.
• Henry (died before 1323 in Cilicia). He never married.
• Guy (died 1344 in Armenia). He became King of Armenia as Constantine II.
  • Isabelle/Zampea of Poitiers-Lusignan. She married Manuel Kantakouzenos.
• John (died 1343 in Cilicia). He was a Constable and Regent of Cilicia.
• Bohémond (died 1344 in Cilicia). He was the Count of Corcyus.
• Agnes (also called Mary) (died after 1309). She married Leo III of Armenia.

After Amalric's death, his wife and children stayed in Armenia. Sadly, most of his family members faced difficult ends.

See Also

• Kingdom of Cyprus
• Lusignan