Guy of Lusignan facts for kids

Guy de Lusignan (around 1150 – July 18, 1194) was a French knight from the House of Lusignan. He became King of Jerusalem from 1186 to 1192 because he married Sibylla. Later, he was Lord of Cyprus from 1192 until his death in 1194.

Guy arrived in the Holy Land at some point. In 1180, he quickly married Sibylla to prevent political problems. As her brother, King Baldwin IV, became very ill, Guy was made a regent for his stepson, Baldwin V. Both Baldwin IV and Baldwin V died soon after, leading to Sibylla and Guy becoming rulers in 1186.

Guy's time as king was difficult. There were many fights with the Ayyubids, led by Saladin. This led to the terrible Battle of Hattin in July 1187, where Guy was captured. Three months later, Jerusalem itself fell to Saladin.

After being held prisoner for a year, Saladin released Guy. Guy then tried to enter Tyre, one of the last Christian strongholds, but Conrad of Montferrat stopped him. In 1189, Guy started the siege of Acre. During this long siege, his wife Sibylla died. The siege became a major event of the Third Crusade, which was led by Philip II of France and Richard I of England.

Guy and Conrad fought over who should be King of Jerusalem. Even though King Richard supported Guy, Conrad married Sibylla's half-sister Isabella and was chosen as king by the nobles. Conrad was killed by Assassins shortly after. Guy was given Cyprus in 1192 as a way to make up for losing the crown of Jerusalem. Richard had taken Cyprus from the Byzantine Empire on his way to the Holy Land. Guy ruled Cyprus until he died in 1194. His brother, Amalric, took over after him.

How Guy Rose to Power

Guy was the son of Lord Hugh VIII of Lusignan. He was born in Poitou, which was part of the French duchy of Aquitaine at the time. This area was controlled by Queen Eleanor of England and her son Richard the Lionheart.

In 1168, Guy and his brothers attacked and killed Patrick of Salisbury, 1st Earl of Salisbury. Because of this, their overlord, Richard I, banished them from Poitou.

Guy arrived in Jerusalem sometime between 1173 and 1180. His older brother, Amalric, was already important in the court. Amalric had gained the support of King Baldwin IV and his mother, Agnes of Courtenay. This success likely helped Guy when he arrived.

Guy marries Sibylla

In April 1180, Guy and Sibylla were quickly married. This marriage stopped a plan by some nobles to force Sibylla to marry someone else. Through his marriage, Guy also became the Count of Jaffa and Ascalon. Guy and Sibylla had two daughters, Alix and Maria. Sibylla also had a son from her first marriage.

In early 1182, King Baldwin IV's health got worse, so he made Guy a regent. However, Guy made some decisions that angered the king. For example, he provoked Saladin during a truce. Because of Guy's actions, Baldwin IV tried to end his sister's marriage to Guy. He was unsuccessful. The king then changed the rules for who would inherit the throne, placing Sibylla's son, Baldwin V, first. Guy kept a low profile until his wife became Queen in 1186.

Becoming King

When King Baldwin IV died in 1185 from leprosy, Baldwin V became king. But Baldwin V was a sickly child and died within a year. In 1186, Guy went with Sibylla to Jerusalem for his stepson's funeral. He brought armed guards and took control of the city.

Sibylla was crowned queen. She agreed to annul her marriage with Guy to please some nobles, but only if she could choose her next husband freely. After she was crowned, to everyone's surprise, she chose to remarry Guy. So, Guy became king in August 1186. The Queen took the crown from her own head and gave it to Guy, allowing him to crown himself at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

Hattin and the Fall of Jerusalem

After Guy became king, the main concern was stopping Saladin. In 1187, Guy decided to try and help the city of Tiberias, which Saladin was attacking. Guy's army marched towards Tiberias but was cut off from water. On July 4, the army was completely destroyed at the Battle of Hattin. Guy was one of the few captives Saladin spared.

Guy was taken prisoner in Damascus. Meanwhile, Sibylla and Balian of Ibelin stayed to defend Jerusalem. But Jerusalem fell to Saladin on October 2. Sibylla wrote to Saladin, asking for her husband's release. Guy was finally released in 1188 and allowed to join his wife. Guy and Sibylla went to Tyre, which was the only city still held by Christians. This was thanks to Conrad of Montferrat's defense.

Guy vs. Conrad

Guy and Sibylla outside Tyre

Conrad refused to let Sibylla and Guy into Tyre, so they camped outside the city walls for months. Guy then took action and began the siege of Acre, waiting for the Third Crusade to arrive. Queen Sibylla joined him but died during an illness in the summer of 1190, along with their young daughters.

With Sibylla's death, Guy lost his right to be king, as he was only king because he was her husband. The crown then passed to Isabella, Sibylla's half-sister. Isabella quickly married Conrad, who then claimed the kingship. However, Guy still insisted he was the rightful king.

In 1191, Guy went to Limassol to get support from Richard I of England, who he had been a vassal to in Poitou. Guy swore loyalty to King Richard. When Richard arrived at Acre, he supported Guy against Conrad.

The conflict continued during the siege of Acre. A temporary agreement was made: Guy would remain king for his lifetime, but then Conrad and Isabella would take over. However, in April 1192, King Richard realized he needed a final solution. The nobles of the kingdom voted for a new king, and Conrad was chosen. Guy accepted this decision. Just days later, Conrad was assassinated. Isabella then married Richard's nephew, Henry II of Champagne.

Lord of Cyprus

This coin shows Guy's name and "Jerusalem," hinting he still wanted to be King of Jerusalem.

Guy was given Cyprus as a way to make up for losing the Kingdom of Jerusalem. He bought it from the Templars in 1192. The Templars had bought it from King Richard, who had taken it from Isaac Comnenus. Guy was technically the Lord of Cyprus, as it was not yet a kingdom. He still used the title of "king" from Jerusalem.

Guy died in 1194. He had no children who lived past childhood (his daughters died young in 1190). His brother, Amalric, became the next ruler of Cyprus. The House of Lusignan continued to rule the Kingdom of Cyprus until 1474. Guy was buried at the Church of the Templars in Nicosia.

In Fiction and Film

A painting of Guy by François-Edouard Picot from around 1843.

Guy de Lusignan appears in some stories and movies.

In the 2005 movie Kingdom of Heaven, Guy is shown as an arrogant and scheming villain. However, historical records suggest his relationship with Sibylla was one of loyalty. The movie also incorrectly suggests he was Sibylla's only husband.

See also

In Spanish: Guido de Lusignan para niños