Balian of Ibelin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Balian
A drawing of Balian of Ibelin's seal, from The Crusades: The Story of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem, by T. A. Archer and Charles Lethbridge Kingsford (London & NY, 1894)
Lord of Ibelin
Born	c. 1143
Died	1193 (aged 49–50)
Noble family	House of Ibelin
Spouse(s)	Maria Komnene
Issue	Helvis of Ibelin John of Ibelin, the Old Lord of Beirut Margaret Philip of Ibelin
Father	Barisan of Ibelin
Mother	Helvis of Ramla

Balian of Ibelin (French: Balian d'Ibelin; c. 1143–1193) was a brave Crusader noble. He lived in the Kingdom of Jerusalem during the 12th century. Balian was the lord of Ibelin from 1170 to 1193. He is best known for leading the defense of Jerusalem in 1187. He eventually surrendered the city to Saladin on October 2, 1187.

Balian's Early Life

Balian was the youngest son of Barisan of Ibelin. His older brothers were Hugh and Baldwin. His father was a knight who received the lordship of Ibelin as a reward. Balian's family was important and wealthy.

Balian was also known as Barisan the Younger. He started using the name "Balian" around 1175. He was old enough to make his own decisions by 1158.

After his oldest brother Hugh died around 1169, the castle of Ibelin went to Baldwin. Baldwin preferred to be lord of Ramla. So, he gave the Ibelin castle to Balian. Balian then held Ibelin as a loyal supporter of his brother.

Royal Family Connections

In 1177, Balian fought bravely at the Battle of Montgisard. The Crusaders won this battle against a strong Muslim army. That same year, Balian married Maria Comnena. Maria was the widow of King Amalric I. This marriage made Balian the stepfather of Amalric's daughter, Isabella. Balian also received the lordship of Nablus. This land was a gift to Maria after her marriage to King Amalric.

In 1179, Balian's brother Baldwin was captured by Saladin. Balian helped arrange for his brother's freedom. The Byzantine Emperor, Maria's great-uncle, paid the ransom.

Supporting the Royal Family

In 1183, Balian and Baldwin supported Raymond III of Tripoli. Raymond was acting as a leader for the young King Baldwin IV. King Baldwin was very sick. To stop Guy of Lusignan from becoming king, Baldwin IV crowned his nephew, Baldwin of Montferrat, as co-king.

Balian, who was a tall man, carried the young Baldwin V on his shoulder at the crowning ceremony. This showed that Isabella's family supported her nephew. Soon after, the eight-year-old boy became the only king.

When Baldwin V died in 1186, Balian and Maria supported Isabella for the throne. But Isabella's husband, Humphrey IV of Toron, refused the crown. He swore loyalty to Guy. Balian also reluctantly agreed to support Guy. His brother Baldwin, however, refused and left the kingdom.

A Dangerous Journey

Balian stayed in the kingdom and advised King Guy. In late 1186, Saladin threatened the kingdom's borders. This happened after Guy's ally, Raynald of Châtillon, attacked a Muslim group. Saladin was working with the army in Tiberias, which was Raymond III's land.

Guy wanted to attack Tiberias, but Balian disagreed. He suggested sending messengers to Raymond to make peace. The first attempt failed. After Easter in 1187, Balian and other leaders were sent on a new mission.

During their trip, they stopped at Balian's land in Nablus. Balian planned to stay behind for a short time. On May 1, the Knights Templar and Knights Hospitaller were defeated by Saladin's son at the Battle of Cresson. Balian was a day behind them. He soon heard the terrible news from the few survivors. Raymond heard about the battle and met the group. He agreed to go back to Jerusalem with them.

The Battle of Hattin

Raymond had allowed Saladin's army into the kingdom. He now regretted his actions and made peace with King Guy. Guy marched his army north. But he insisted on marching across a dry plain to help Tiberias. The army had no water and was constantly attacked by Saladin's troops.

They were finally surrounded at the Horns of Hattin in July. In the Battle of Hattin on July 4, the Crusader army was completely defeated. Balian and Joscelin III of Edessa commanded the back of the army.

This defeat was a huge blow to Jerusalem. King Guy was captured. Almost every town and castle fell to Saladin. Balian, Raymond, and a few other nobles managed to escape to Tyre. Balian then asked Saladin for permission to go to Jerusalem. He wanted to bring his wife and children to safety. Saladin agreed, but Balian had to promise not to fight against him.

Defending Jerusalem

Balian of Ibelin surrendering the city of Jerusalem to Saladin, from Les Passages faits Outremer par les Français contre les Turcs et autres Sarrasins et Maures outremarins, c. 1490.

When Balian arrived in Jerusalem, the people begged him to stay. The leader of the church, Patriarch Eraclius, said Balian did not have to keep his promise to Saladin. He said the Christian people needed him more. Balian agreed to lead the city's defense.

He found there were very few knights left. So, he made 60 new knights from the city's citizens. Balian and Eraclius prepared for the attack by storing food and money. Saladin began the siege of Jerusalem on September 20, 1187. Saladin had already taken most of the kingdom.

Saladin was able to break parts of the city walls. But he could not get inside. Balian rode out to meet Saladin. He told him that the defenders would rather destroy the city and kill each other than let it be taken by force. After talking, they agreed that the city would be given over peacefully. Saladin would free 7,000 men for a payment. Women and children could be exchanged for men at a lower price.

Balian handed over the keys to the Tower of David on October 2. People had 50 days to pay for their freedom. Those who could not pay became enslaved. However, Saladin freed some of them. He allowed everyone to leave Jerusalem in an organized way. This prevented a terrible massacre like the one when the Crusaders took the city in 1099. Balian and Patriarch Eraclius offered themselves as hostages. But Saladin refused. Balian joined his wife and children in Tripoli.

Choosing a New King

The fall of Jerusalem and the death of Queen Sibylla in 1190 caused a fight over who should be the next ruler. Balian's stepdaughter Isabella was now the rightful queen. But King Guy refused to give up his title.

If Isabella was to be queen, she needed a strong and capable husband. The best choice was Conrad of Montferrat. Balian and Maria convinced Isabella to end her current marriage. Her marriage was then officially ended. The Bishop of Beauvais then married Isabella to Conrad.

This decision made Richard I of England and his supporters very angry. Richard supported Guy, while Philip II of France supported Conrad. Balian and Maria's actions earned them the hatred of Richard. One writer called Balian "more false than a goblin."

On April 28, 1192, Conrad was killed in Tyre. Richard was widely suspected of being involved. Isabella married Henry II of Champagne just a week later.

Balian became one of Henry's advisors. Later that year, he helped lead Richard's army at the Battle of Jaffa. He also helped negotiate the Treaty of Jaffa in 1192. This treaty ended the Crusade. Under the treaty, Ibelin remained under Saladin's control. But many coastal areas that the Crusaders had won back stayed Christian.

After Richard left, Saladin gave Balian the castle of Caymont and five other places.

Balian's Family and Legacy

Balian died in 1193, when he was in his early fifties. He had four children with Maria Komnene:

• Helvis of Ibelin
• John of Ibelin, who became Lord of Beirut and a powerful leader.
• Margaret
• Philip of Ibelin, who became a leader in Cyprus.

Balian's assistant, Ernoul, wrote parts of a history book about the Crusades. This book often shows the Ibelin family in a good light.

The name "Balian" became common in the Ibelin family. Balian, Lord of Beirut, who was Balian's grandson, became lord of Beirut in 1236.

Balian in Popular Culture

A made-up version of Balian appears in the 2005 movie Kingdom of Heaven. He is played by actor Orlando Bloom.

Sources

• De Expugnatione Terrae Sanctae per Saladinum, translated by James A. Brundage, in The Crusades: A Documentary Survey. Marquette University Press, 1962.
• William of Tyre, A History of Deeds Done Beyond the Sea. E. A. Babcock and A. C. Krey, trans. Columbia University Press, 1943.
• Chronique d'Ernoul et de Bernard le Trésorier, edited by M. L. de Mas Latrie. La Société de l'Histoire de France, 1871.
• La Continuation de Guillaume de Tyr (1184–1192), edited by Margaret Ruth Morgan. L'Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres, 1982.
• Ambroise, The History of the Holy War, translated by Marianne Ailes. Boydell Press, 2003.
• Chronicle of the Third Crusade, a Translation of Itinerarium Peregrinorum et Gesta Regis Ricardi, translated by Helen J. Nicholson. Ashgate, 1997.
• Peter W. Edbury [pl], The Conquest of Jerusalem and the Third Crusade: Sources in Translation. Ashgate, 1996.
• Peter W. Edbury, John of Ibelin and the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Boydell Press, 1997.
• Amin Maalouf, The Crusades Through Arab Eyes. London, 1984.
• H. E. Mayer, "Carving Up Crusaders: The Early Ibelins and Ramlas", in Outremer: Studies in the history of the Crusading Kingdom of Jerusalem presented to Joshua Prawer. Yad Izhak Ben-Zvi Institute, 1982.

• Runciman, Steven (1952). A History of the Crusades, Volume II: The Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Frankish East. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.