Baldwin+of+Boulogne

//__** ﻿ Baldwin of Boulogne **__//

//Th e Man who united Jerusalem﻿//

Baldwin of Boulogne was one of the original Crusaders w ho set out for the Holy Land in 1096[1]. His endeavors during the crusade would res ult in him becoming Count Baldwin of Edessa[2] and consequently his family ties would permit him to become King of Jerusalem[3]. It was Baldwin’s determination and strategic manoeuvres that enabled the Kingdom of Jerusalem to flourish under his reign and the reason he was a vital component in the success of the Christians during and after in the First Crusade.

Born the youngest son of the Count of Boulogne c.1058, he was not to inherit any family lands[1]. Originally intended for the Church[2], sources suggested that Baldwin had not the temperament of a churchman[3] however William of Tyre differed in describing Baldwin, //‘he looked more like a bishop than a layman’[4]//. Baldwin proceeded to join the lay populace and join his brother Godfrey of Bouillon[5], who was leading the Frankish contingent to Jerusalem, in the First Crusade.

Baldwin split from the main army at Herecleain 1097 [1], Baldwin then journeyed to Edessa at the bequest of its leader Thoros of Edessa[2] with a mere sixty horsemen. Edessa had been continuously threatened by the Turks[3] and sought Western aid. Thoros adopted Baldwin as his son and heir on the 6th of February 1098. As a result of a revolution Baldwin took over as ruler of Edessa on the 10th of March.

The Crusaders successfully captured Jerusalem on the 15th of July, 1099[1], though Baldwin would did not enter the new Christian ruled Jerusalem until Christmas Day[2]. Baldwin’s brother, Godfrey of Bouillon was named the //‘Advocate of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre’,// the protector of the Kingdom of Jerusalem[3]. A year after capturing the Holy City, Godfrey died on the 18th July,1100. The general consensus was that through hereditary rights Baldwin was to inherit. Baldwin became the King of Jerusalem on the 11th of November and was officially crowned by the [|Patriarch Daimbert]on Christmas Day, 1100, in Bethlehem[5]. During his reign Baldwin would conquer and add to the Kingdom of Jerusalem the major cities of Caesarea and Arsuf(1101), Acre (1104),Beirut and Sidon (1110) [6]. Baldwin conquered the majority of the coastline in the Holy Lands, simultaneously stopped attacks led by Egyptians and Seldjuks [7] and maintained peace within the city of Jerusalem itself.

His first wife Godvere, who had accompanied Baldwin on the Crusade, died at Marash, 1098. As Count of Edessa, Baldwin married the daughter[1] of the local, wealthy chieftain, Taphnuz or Tafroc[2] Their marriage was dismissed by Baldwin in 1108[3]. Baldwin married for the third time in 1113, Adelaide of Salona, the Countess-Dowager of Sicily. The Church strongly advised Baldwin to dismiss Adelaide, thus he renounced Adelaide as his wife in 1117[4].



Baldwin structured and maintained power within in Jerusalem and was respected for his order, justice and his practicality with alliances[1]. He turned the unstable Christian grounds into the structured Kingdom of Jerusalem through consolidating the land and its people. Baldwin had played a key role in the First Crusade though he would surpass all prior expectations to lead the Christians as their king in the Holy Lands.

[1] J. Riley Smith, //The First Crusade, 1095-1131 (//Cambridge, 1997), 13. [2] A Jotischky, //Crusading and the Crusader States (//London, 2004), 52. [3] Ibid, 261.

[1] K. Setton, //A History of the Crusades// (Philadelphia,1958), 21. [2] S.Runciman, //A History of the Crusades, The First Crusade// (Cambridge,1968), 146. [3] Runciman (1968),146. [4] William of Tyre, //Historia rerum in partibus transmarinis gestarum// [5] Setton (1958), 21.

[1] T. Archer, //The Crusades, The Story of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem// (New York, 1898) 138. [2] Runciman (1968), 152. [3] R.Newhall, //The Crusades// (New York,1963), 47.

[1] R.Smail, //Crusading Warfare, 1097-1193// (Cambridge, 1995),112. [2] Newhall (1963),48. [3] Runciman (1968), 322. [4] Runciman (1968), 326. [5] Setton (1958), 408. [6] Mayer (1972), 77.

[1] Runciman,155- t he name Arda is given to his second wife though no primary documents can verify this. [2] Ibid.- the exact name of the chieftain/prince cannot be certain for primary sources each call him by a different name. [3] Ibid.102. [4] Ibid.

[1] Newhall (1963), 48.

Images Used Baldwin [Image], 2011, //God Discussion//, Retrieved from http://www.goddiscussion.com/69689/the-crusades-as-medieval-world-war-part-3/ The Coronation of Baldwin [Image], 2000, //The Columbia Encyclopedia// (6), Columbia University Press: Columbia. Route of the First Crusades [Image], (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.allcrusades.com/MAPS/MAPS_INDEX/MAPS-C/CRUSADE_1/Asia_Minor_Route_1097-98.html