Establishing the states of Outremer

Question 1

When was Godfrey of Bouillon elected leader of the Kingdom of Jerusalem?

Answer 1

Godfrey of Bouillon was elected leader of the Kingdom of Jerusalem in 1099.

Question 2

When did Archbishop Daimbert of Pisa and a Pisan fleet arrive in the Holy Lands?

Answer 2

Archbishop Daimbert and a Pisan fleet arrived in the Holy Lands in 1100.

Question 3

Where was Godfrey, with the help of the Pisan fleet, able to establish influence over?

Answer 3

Godfrey, with the help of the Pisan fleet, was able to establish his influence over the coastal parts of Arsuf, Ascalon, Caesarea, and Acre.

Question 4

What role was Daimbert able to force Godfrey to appoint as and what did this establish?

Answer 4

Daimbert forced Godfrey to appoint him as the patriarch of Jerusalem, establishing the precedent for a theocracy in Jerusalem.

Question 5

When did Godfrey die?

Answer 5

Godfrey died in July 1100.

Question 6

What was Baldwin I relationship with Godfrey and what role did he hold before King of Jerusalem?

Answer 6

Baldwin I was Godfrey’s brother and held the post of Count of Edessa before becoming King of Jerusalem.

Question 7

When was Baldwin I crowned King of Jerusalem?

Answer 7

Baldwin was crowned on 28th December 1100 in Bethlehem.

Question 8

When did Baldwin I capture the port of Acre?

Answer 8

In May 1104, Baldwin I captured Acre with the help of the Genoese fleet in return for a third of the booty - which gave the Kingdom a secure harbour.

Question 9

When did Arab raids on the Kingdom occur during Baldwin’s reign and how did he manage to control them?

Answer 9

Arab raids occurred in 1105, 1110, 1113 and 1115. He was also able to make a treaty with Duqaq of Damascus which secured the Kingdom.

Question 10

What factor primarily explains Baldwin I’s successes? Give an example of this factor.

Answer 10

Baldwin I’s success was mainly due to the splits between the Muslim states. For example, Toghtekin of Damascus, frightened of a threat from the sultan, was prepared to ally with Franks against his atabeg. At the battle of Danith (1115), several Muslim princes allied with the Franks fearing their power would diminish if the Sultan was successful in invading Outremer. The battle resulted in Bursuq ibn Bursuq (an emir for the Sultan) being defeated. Although Toghtekin changed sides in 1116 the threat of a Muslim coalition was removed during Baldwin I’s reign.

Question 11

When did Baldwin I die?

Answer 11

Baldwin I died in 1118.

Question 12

Why did Baldwin le Bourg become king?

Answer 12

Baldwin le Bourg became King as Baldwin I refused to remarry after he was forced to repudiate his wife, Adelaide (married 1113), by his vassals in 1117.

Question 13

What became the focus of Baldwin II’s reign?

Answer 13

Baldwin II’s reign focused on capturing Aleppo.

Question 14

What was major setback meant Baldwin II did not capture Aleppo?

Answer 14

The resurgence of a unified Muslim opposition meant Baldwin II was unable to take Aleppo. In 1119 Roger of Antioch was defeated and killed at the Field of Blood by an alliance of Il Ghazi of Aleppo and Toghtekin of Damascus.

Question 15

What was the size of the Crusader force, at the battle of the Field of Blood?

Answer 15

The Crusader force, at the battle of the Field of Blood, was between 7,000 and 11,000 men. Of this only 570 were capture, the rest were killed.

Question 16

When was Baldwin II captured?

Answer 16

In both 1122 and 1123 Balak, Il Ghazi’s successor captured both Baldwin II and his friend Count Joscelin of Edessa.

Question 17

How was Baldwin II able to recover from the disaster at Sarmada?

Answer 17

Muslim splits enabled Baldwin to recover from these disasters. The threat of Il Ghazi was removed by his defeat by King David III of Georgia.

Question 18

What did Baldwin II use the Muslim splits to do in 1125?

Answer 18

Baldwin used this to encourage a Muslim ally Dubais to attack Aleppo in 1125. But Aksungur, in alliance with Toghtekin relieved Aleppo in 1126.

Question 19

Who was Baldwin II’s only heir to the throne?

Answer 19

Baldwin II’s only heir was his daughter Melisende who needed to have husband to help her govern and defend the kingdom. Baldwin was able to persuade Fulk V of Anjou to marry her and take over the government of Jerusalem.

Question 20

When was the Principality of Antioch established?

Answer 20

The Principality of Antioch was founded in 1098.

Question 21

Why did Bohemond besiege the port of Latakia?

Answer 21

Bohemond besieged the port of Latakia in 1099 wanted to created a viable state in Antioch, which needed a port.

Question 22

When was the port of Latakia captured by Antioch? Who captured the port and why was it not Bohemond?

Answer 22

Tancred, Bohemond’s cousin, captured Latakia in 1103 as Bohemond waited to be ransomed due to his capture by Malik-Ghazi. This made the principality more secure but caused tension with the Byzantine empire.

Question 23

When was the treaty of Devol signed and what did it intend?

Answer 23

The treaty of Devol was signed in 1108 and it intended to make the Principality of Antioch a vassal state of the Byzantine Empire.

Question 24

How did Bohemond respond to Mosul and Mardin attacking Edessa in January 1104?

Answer 24

A Muslim coalition army from Mosul and Mardin advanced on Edessa in January 1104. Bohemond responded by creating a coalition of crusader forces to attack Harran but the army was disastrously defeated in May 1104 with the loss of a significant number of knights as well as the capture of Baldwin, count of Edessa, and Joscelin de Courtenay.

Question 25

What happened at the Council of Poitiers in 1106?

Answer 25

At the Council of Poitiers (1106) Bohemond persuaded Pope Paschal II to support a new crusade. This crusade was to remove the heresy of the Greek church and attacked the city of Durazzo in 1107 but was defeated by a Byzantine and Turkish coalition army led by Alexius Comnenus.

Question 26

When did Bohemond II come fully into his inheritance?

Answer 26

Bohemond II, Bohemond I’s son, came fully into his inheritance until 1126.

Question 27

Who were the three regents who ruled Antioch until Bohemond II until he came of age?

Answer 27

The three regents Tancred (1112), Roger of Salerno (1112-1119) and Baldwin II of Jerusalem (1119-1126) ruled Antioch until Bohemond came of age.

Question 28

When did Bohemond II arrive in Antioch?

Answer 28

Bohemond II arrived in Antioch in 1126 marrying Baldwin II’s second daughter Alice.

Question 29

What was Baldwin le Bourq’s capture at the battle of Harran (1104) mean for Edessa?

Answer 29

Baldwin le Bourg was captured at the battle of Harran (1104) meaning Edessa was ruled by Tancred then Roger of Salerno as regents, until Baldwin was ransomed in 1107

Question 30

Why did a civil war break out in Edessa in 1108?

Answer 30

A civil war broke out in Edessa in 1108 between Tancred and Baldwin because Tancred refused to return the county to Baldwin.

Question 31

Which Muslims allied with who during the civil war in Edessa in 1108?

Answer 31

During the civil war in Edessa in 1108 Jawali of Mosul allied with Baldwin Le Bourq and Ridwan of Aleppo with Tancred.

Question 32

How was the civil war in Edessa in 1108 resolved?

Answer 32

The civil war in Edessa in 1108 was resolved by King Baldwin I forcing a treaty between Tancred and Baldwin Le Bourq which recognised Baldwin’s rights over Edessa.

Question 33

How did Baldwin Le Bourq consolidate Edessa’s power between 1108-1118?

Answer 33

Baldwin Le Bourq consolidated Edessa’s power between 1108-1118 by building fortifications and removing vulnerable populations.

Question 34

When did Baldwin II die?

Answer 34

Baldwin II died in August 1131.

Question 35

What created the fragile situtation in Antioch early in King Fulk’s reign?

Answer 35

The fragile situation in Antioch early in King Fulk’s reign was created by Prince Bohemond II’s death as his widow, Alice, had decided she wanted to have sole rule over the principality until her daughter, Constance, came of age. In 1133 and 1135, Fulk had to travel to Antioch to answer calls from dissatisfied nobels who wanted Alice to re-marry. The situation was solved by Raymond of Poitiers who agreed to marry the eight year old Constance in 1136.

Question 36

How did John Comnenus become involved in the issues in Antioch?

Answer 36

John Comnenus was overlord of Antioch and was furious he had not been involved in choosing Constance’s husband. John arrived at the gates of Antioch in 1137 demanding the city should submit. Raymond then sumbmitted to him, recognising his land was subject to Greek overlordship.

Question 37

What was agreed between John Comnenus and the Crusaders over attacks on Muslim cities?

Answer 37

It was agreed, between John Comnenus and the Crusaders, that if Latin forces should take Aleppo and Shaizar (which were Muslim held) then the Latins should hand over Antioch to the Byzantines. A siege was launced on Shaizar in 1138 which was unsuccessful.

Question 38

How was the Christian ruler of Armenia able to exploit the delicate situation in Antioch by the 1130s?

Answer 38

In the 1130s, the Christian ruler of Armenia, King Leon, exploited the situation in Antioch by recapturing towns in southern Cilicia (which had been taken by the First Crusade).

Question 39

When did Zengi besiege, and capture, Edessa?

Answer 39

Zengi captured Edessa on 24 December 1144.

Question 40

When did King Fulk die?

Answer 40

King Fulk died in 1143 and he was succeeded by his wfie, Melisende, as Queen because their son (Baldwin III) had not come of age.

Question 41

What is the first example of tension between Baldwin III and Melisende?

Answer 41

The first example of tension between Baldwin III and Melisende was the persuading of the Second Crusade to attack Damascus by the 18 year old Baldwin in the hope of gaining an advantage over his mother by a dramatic conquest of Damascus

Question 42

How was Baldwin III able to get himself crowned sole ruler of Jeruslame in 1152?

Answer 42

By 1152, Baldwin III, now aged 22, had enough support to attempt to force Melisende to accept him as sole ruler of Jerusalem. The struggle reached the point of armed conflict when Baldwin besieged a castle controlled by Manasses of Hierges (Melisende’s constable). Baldwin then besieged Melisende in Jerusalem’s citadel and forced her to surrender her lands.

Question 43

How did the rebellion of Hugh le Puiset start?

Answer 43

It was rumored that Hugh had an affair with Queen Melisende which made Fulk jealous. Fulk’s reaction was to try and remove Hugh from his fief. Hugh was able to mount a significant resistance with the support of other nobles. It was not until Hugh allied himself with Egypt that he completely lost his support amongst the crusader nobility.

Question 44

What does the rebellion of Hugh le Puiset show about the nobility in Outremer?

Answer 44

The reality of the dispute was that Hugh represented a faction in the crusader nobility that wanted to uphold the rights of Queen Melisende to rule against her husband (who tried to rule without her)