Jobert of Syria facts for kids
Jobert of Syria was an important leader of the Knights Hospitaller. He was the seventh Grand Master of this group, serving in Syria from 1172 until his death, which is thought to have happened in 1177. After Jobert, Roger de Moulins became the next Grand Master.
Contents
Becoming a Leader
We don't know much about where Jobert was born or what he did before he became the Grand Master. He took over from Gastone de Murols. Before Gastone, another leader named Gilbert d'Aissailly had been removed from his position. Gilbert had wasted the group's money. Because of this, Jobert learned to be very careful with the Hospitallers' funds. He was known for managing their money well.
Helping the Kingdom
In 1171, Amalric I of Jerusalem, who was the king, traveled to Constantinople. He trusted Jobert to look after his son, Baldwin IV of Jerusalem, and to manage the kingdom while he was away.
In 1172, Jobert helped free Raymond III, Count of Tripoli. Raymond had been captured in 1164 by Nur ad-Din. Raymond needed to pay a large amount of money, about 80,000 gold coins, to be set free. The Hospitallers lent him the money for his ransom.
Military Decisions
In August 1174, Jobert and other military leaders decided not to help the Sicilian navy. They were asked to attack Egypt with Miles de Plancy, who was then in charge of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
Later, in December 1174, Jobert joined the new leader, Raymond III of Tripoli. They planned an attack against Saladin. Jobert and his forces were part of the army that threatened the city of Homs after Saladin had taken it. However, there was no battle. The Franks, as the crusaders were called, left Homs. In return, some prisoners were released, and people didn't have to pay ransoms.
Rules and Support for the Poor
Jobert asked Pope Alexander III to make a rule. This rule said that church leaders should not ask for a special tax from the lands farmed by the Hospitallers. It also applied to the food grown for their animals.
In 1175, Jobert helped create new rules for the Hospitaller church in Acre. These rules covered things like morning services, funerals, and sacraments. Jobert made sure that the Hospitallers kept all the special rights they had from the Pope.
Jobert was also in charge of the Hospitallers' money. He made sure that money was set aside to provide bread for the poor people at the Hospital in Jerusalem. He even made a rule about the bread: each loaf should weigh a certain amount, and each poor person should get half a loaf. He used money from specific areas, Sainre-Marie and Caphaer, to pay for this.
Land and Campaigns
In 1176, Jobert had King Baldwin IV confirm gifts of land that the Hospitallers had received. These agreements showed that the Order was growing in places like Jerusalem, Jaffa, Tiberias, Tripoli, and Antioch.
Also in 1176, King Baldwin IV confirmed a grant of land in Egypt to the Hospitallers. This was in exchange for Jobert's help in a planned military campaign there. Jobert supported this plan for Egypt.
Jobert is last mentioned in January 1177. His successor, Roger de Moulins, did not agree with the Egypt plan, so it was stopped. One of Jobert's letters that still exists was written to the people of Savona.
Jobert's time as Grand Master ended between January and October 1177. It was not, as some people thought, because he was captured by Saladin in 1179. Roger de Moulins took over as Grand Master by October 1177.
See also
- Cartulaire général de l'Ordre des Hospitaliers
- List of Knights Hospitaller sites
- Langue (Knights Hospitaller)
- Flags of the Knights Hospitaller
