Aymar de Lairon facts for kids

Aymar de Lairon (died 1219), also known as Adeymar, Adémar, or Aimerich, was an important figure in the Kingdom of Jerusalem. He became the lord of Caesarea around 1193 because of his marriage to Juliana Grenier. This meant he held the title "lord" through his wife's family rights. After Juliana's death, he joined the Knights Hospitaller, a famous military and religious order, and became their marshal until he died in battle.

Lord of Caesarea: A Powerful Role

Aymar became the Lord of Caesarea because his wife, Juliana Grenier, was the rightful heiress to the land. This is known as holding a title "in right of his wife." He first signed an important document as "Aymar, Caesarean lord" in 1193. This document was from Count Henry II of Champagne, who was married to Queen Isabella I of Jerusalem.

Aymar and Juliana worked together as lords of Caesarea. They signed many official papers and agreements between 1201 and 1213. Juliana is first mentioned as the Lady of Caesarea in 1197. At that time, she and Aymar confirmed a gift made by her brother, Walter II Grenier, just before he died.

A Leader in the Kingdom

Aymar was a very important noble, called a baron, in the Kingdom of Jerusalem. He served during the reigns of several kings and queens, including Henry (1192–97), Aimery (1197–1205), and John (1210–15). He often witnessed, or signed, royal documents, showing his trusted position.

In 1208, Aymar was part of a special group sent to France. This group was chosen by the Haute Cour, which was like the kingdom's highest council. Their mission was to find a suitable husband for the young queen, Maria. Aymar was also present when Maria's chosen husband, John, was crowned king in Tyre in 1210.

Financial Challenges

Around 1212–13, Juliana and Aymar faced financial difficulties. Because they needed money, they took out two loans from the Knights Hospitaller.

• For the first loan, they used houses in Acre and Tyre, and a village called Turcarme, as security. They received 2,000 bezants, which were gold coins.
• For the second loan, they used three other villages: Capharlet, Samarita, and Bubalorum. They received 1,000 bezants.

Juliana is not mentioned in any documents after October 1213, suggesting she passed away around that time.

A Knight Hospitaller

By February 1216, Aymar was no longer signing documents as the Lord of Caesarea. Instead, he was listed as the marshal of the Knights Hospitaller. This means Juliana must have died, and Aymar likely joined the Hospitaller order as a brother. Juliana was even buried in a Hospitaller cemetery.

Aymar continued to serve as the Hospitaller marshal until at least October 1218. He joined King John in an invasion of Egypt, which was part of the Fifth Crusade. During the Siege of Damietta, Aymar and the king led an attack against the Egyptian forces.

Aymar de Lairon died in 1219 during the fighting at Damietta. Records show that he was killed or captured along with many other knights, including thirty-three Knights Templar.

Aymar had a nephew who was also named Aymar. He also had a son named Roger de Lairon. Roger's niece, Agnes, who came from overseas (Europe), later married Gilles de Beirut.

See Also

• Lords of Caesarea
• Knights Hospitaller