Henry I, Count of Bar facts for kids

Henry I of Bar (born 1158 – died 1191) was an important ruler in medieval France. He was the Count of Bar and also the lord of Mousson and Amance. He held these titles from 1170 until 1190. Henry was the son of Renaut II of Bar and Agnes of Champagne.

Early Life and Rule

Henry was still a child when his father passed away. Because he was too young to rule, his mother, Agnes of Champagne, became his regent. A regent is someone who rules for a young king or count until they are old enough. Agnes ruled for Henry from 1170 to 1173.

A Dispute with the Church

Henry's family had once been in charge of the area called Verdun. In 1172, Henry's mother, Agnes, tried to take back control of Verdun from its bishop. A bishop is a high-ranking church leader. The bishop did not agree, so Agnes caused a lot of damage in the bishop's area. Because of this, both Henry and his mother were excommunicated. This meant they were temporarily cut off from the church. They had to give in to the bishop's demands in 1177.

Building a Fortress

In 1178, the Bishop of Toul started building a strong castle, called a fortress, in a place called Liverdun. He had permission from Simon II, who was the Duke of Upper Lorraine. The bishop found the task too big, so he asked Henry to help finish it. Henry took over the project and used the fortress. Even though this new fortress, along with Henry's other castles at Amance and Mousson, could have seemed like a threat, Henry kept good relations with the Duke.

Royal Connections

Henry had important family connections. His mother, Agnes, was the aunt of Philip II of France. This made Henry a first cousin to the French king. Henry was present at King Philip's coronation (the ceremony where a king is officially crowned) on November 1, 1179. This event took place in Reims. Their uncle, William White Hands, who was a powerful Cardinal and Archbishop of Reims, performed the coronation.

Joining the Crusades

After the city of Jerusalem was captured in 1187, Henry decided to join the Third Crusade. The Crusades were a series of religious wars fought by European Christians to take back control of the Holy Land. Henry left for the Crusade in mid-1189, even before King Philip of France and King Richard the Lionheart set out.

The Siege of Acre

When Henry arrived in the Kingdom of Jerusalem, he joined the siege of Acre. A siege is when an army surrounds a city or fortress to try and capture it. In the summer of 1190, Henry was joined at Acre by his uncles, Theobald V of Blois and Stephen I of Sancerre, and his cousin, Henry II of Champagne. On October 4, 1190, Henry was badly hurt in a battle against the forces of Saladin, a famous Muslim leader. He died from his injuries in 1191.