Baudouin, King of Belgium. See what “Baudouin I (King of Belgium)” is in other dictionaries. Examples of the use of the word baudoin in literature

Trouble in the Kingdom of Jerusalem. In 1174, 13-year-old Baudouin IV ascended to the throne of Jerusalem. Regent, i.e. His relative, Count of Tripoli Raymond III, became the de facto ruler under the young king. When the king came of age, he showed himself to be a reasonable monarch and a talented military leader. But he didn’t have long to rule. The young king was sick with a terrible disease - leprosy.

More and more losing strength, the king thought about what would happen to the state after his death. The only legitimate male heir entitled to inherit the crown was a five-year-old boy, also named Baudouin, nephew of the sick king, son of his sister Sibylla. She remarried Baron Guy de Lusignan, who received Jaffa and Ascalon, important cities of the kingdom, as a dowry for his wife.

The king was faced with a question: who to appoint as regent? There were two candidates: the king's former guardian, Count Raymond, a reasonable and sober politician, a successful diplomat, and Guy de Lusignan, the heir's stepfather, an incompetent ruler and an unsuccessful military leader. It would seem that preference should certainly have been given to Count Raymond.

Conspiracy of the courtiers. But the king’s court circle was eagerly awaiting his death and wanted to profit from the royal treasury and estates. Such a strong and stern regent as Raymond, of course, would not allow this. Then the courtiers came to an agreement with Princess Sibylla and Count Guy. And in unison they began to convince Baudouin IV that Count Raymond was plotting against him, striving for the crown, bypassing the rightful heir. The king believed the rumors and drove Raymond out of Jerusalem, forbidding him to appear there.

From then on, the king began to pay special attention to Guy, the future regent. Increasingly losing his health, he even transferred the entire kingdom to the actual control of Lusignan, leaving only the city of Jerusalem under his personal authority. Count Guy de Lusignan became immensely proud of such an honor and imagined himself to be the sole arbiter of the destinies of the kingdom. He openly humiliated the sick king, showing him absolutely no respect.

The king returns his guardian to court. Baudouin endured for a long time. However, in the end his patience ran out. It so happened that in the fall of 1183 he became very ill. The king asked Lusignan, in exchange for Jerusalem, to give him the city of Tyre, where the climate was better. Guy blatantly refused the king.

Baudouin was furious. Having gathered all the noble people of the kingdom for a council, he discussed the situation with them and deprived Guy of his upcoming regency. The unjustly offended Count Raymond was again called to court.

The king even wanted to dissolve the marriage of Sibylla and Guy, but they managed to take refuge from the royal wrath in their Ascalon. Then, in order to protect the royal throne from encroachments by Lusignan, the king ordered the immediate marriage of his other sister, Isabella, so that her husband would become a counterweight to Guy. And most importantly: the king obtained an oath from all the nobility of the state that if the heir died in his infancy, then Count Raymond would be given the rights of regent for another 10 years, so that during this time, with the help of the Pope, they could find a worthy candidate for the throne (and in order to prevent Lusignan will take it).

Voyage of knights to the Holy
Land on the Genoese
galleys (1187)

Conspiracy of Raymond's opponents. In 1185, the leper king died. His place was taken by Baudouin V, who by that time was eight years old. But the following year he too died. Sibylla and Guy decided to take advantage of this and seize the throne. Moreover, the harsh rule of Count Raymond was not to the liking of the willful nobility: she renounced her oaths and took their side. In addition, Raymond had a sworn enemy in Jerusalem, the Grand Master of the Templar Order, Gerard de Ridfort. Once upon a time, even before Gerard joined the order, Count Raymond deceived him - he promised, but did not give him rich possessions. It was also rumored that the count prevented him from marrying a rich heiress. Now Gerard remembered all the old grievances and began to zealously defend the interests of Lusignan, over whom he had a very great influence. The Patriarch of Jerusalem at that time was Heraclius. This “venerable” clergyman, who incurred constant ridicule for his drunkenness and debauchery, was also devoted to Sibylla and Guy.

To carry out their plans, the conspirators tricked Count Raymond out of Jerusalem. And while he was not in the city, Patriarch Heraclius put royal crowns on the heads of Sibylla and Guy. True, the coronation did not go smoothly. The fact is that the keys to the treasury where the crown was kept were divided and transferred for safekeeping to three persons. One - to Patriarch Heraclius, another - to Gerard de Ridefort, the third - to the Grand Master of the Hospitallers, Roger de Moulin. The latter did not want to break the oath given to the late king and betray Count Raymond. So the key had to be taken from him by force.

Count Raymond, having learned about what had happened, was furious. He sent ambassadors to Jerusalem, trying to reason with the barons and reminding them of the oath given to the sick king. But it was all in vain; no one wanted to listen to him. Realizing that he had lost, the count left for his possessions, harboring deep resentment and anxiety: the state, for the benefit and safety of which he had worked hard, was given into the hands of greedy court adventurers, led by the insignificant Guy.

Read also other topics Part VIII "Near and Far East: battles and conquests" section "Western Europe and the East in the Middle Ages":

• 36. Key to Jerusalem: the Crusaders' struggle for Antioch

At the beginning of World War II, Baudouin fled to France with his sister Josephine-Charlotte and brother, and from there moved to Spain, but in August 1940 he returned to occupied Belgium, where he received his education. From 1944 he went into exile with his father and stepmother and returned to Belgium with them in 1950.

Baudouin became king after his father's abdication. These were difficult times for Belgium. Confidence in the monarchy in the country has been shaken. However, thanks to his gentleness, tact and ability to find compromises, Baudouin managed to improve the situation.

During the first decade of Baudouin's reign, Belgium reconstructed its war-damaged economy and in 1951 joined the European Coal and Steel Union. In domestic politics, one of the most serious problems was the relationship between private and public schools, which was resolved in 1959 by signing the School Pact.

During Baudouin's reign, Belgium lost its African colonies. At the beginning of 1960, a round table was held in Brussels, which brought together representatives of the Belgian government and political leaders of the Congo. An agreement was reached to grant independence to the Congo. On June 30, 1960, Baudouin attended the transfer of power ceremony in Kinshasa.

By 1960, the socio-economic situation in Belgium was still difficult. Flanders was plagued by chronic unemployment. Frequent accidents led to the closure of mines in Wallonia. To take into account the specifics of the regions, the government has developed its own economic policy for each part of the country. In November 1960, a general economic recovery program known as the "Unified Law" was adopted. The end of 1960 was marked by mass strikes throughout the country.

In 1962-1963, a number of laws were adopted establishing the principle of monolingualism in the regions. In 1970, the idea of ​​transforming Belgium from a unitary state into a federal one was first voiced in parliament. At first, the Flemings and Walloons were granted cultural autonomy. There was a high probability of Belgium being divided into two states. Baudouin made every effort to preserve the integrity of the country, and finally, in 1980, changes were made to the Belgian constitution, establishing its division into Flemish and Walloon parts. Each region was given fairly broad powers in resolving internal issues.

In 1976, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of his reign, the King Baudouin Foundation was created, the purpose of which was to improve the living conditions of the Belgians.

Being a deeply religious man, Baudouin took an unprecedented step, refusing in the spring of 1990 to do what had previously been considered a simple formality - to give royal assent to the Abortion Law. On April 4, 1990, the Belgian government declared Baudouin unfit to rule. In this case, according to the Constitution, the functions of the head of state were performed by the government. The law was approved, and the very next day Baudouin was again declared legally competent.

In the last years of Baudouin's reign, administrative reform was continued. The province of Brabant was divided into two parts, Flemish and Walloon. Brussels was allocated as a separate region, equal in rights with Flemish and Wallonia.

Baudouin died of cardiac arrest on July 31, 1993, during a trip to Spain. Since the royal couple had no children, the king's younger brother inherited the throne.

Chapter XIX

King Baudouin II

1. Wars in the North. "Bloody Field"

King Baudouin I died without leaving an heir. Haute Сour (From Chickens) - the High Court, also known as the Crown Council - was hastily assembled. Opinions about the successor are divided. Some believed that the heir should be the elder brother of Godfrey and Baudouin I, Count Eustache III of Boulogne, others - that a relative of the king Baudouin du Bourg, Count of Edessa. The first point of view won. An official mission was sent to Boulogne to offer the crown to Count Eustache. In addition to his county, Eustache had huge possessions in England, which his father Eustache II, who actively helped William the Conqueror conquer the island, received from the English king. With difficulty, pointing out his duty to God, the envoys persuaded Eustache to exchange the quiet life in a rich county for the dangers and anxieties of the East, and the count went to Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, in the absence of Eustache's main supporters who went to France, the point of view prevailed that Baudouin of Edessa should become king. He was a relative of the late king and the only surviving leader of the crusade, a man of experience, ability and courage. In addition, this would avoid a long interim rule while Estache reached Palestine. The decisive role in this situation was played by Josselin de Courtney, Prince of Galilee. In the newly assembled High Court, he declared that he had no reason to favor Baudouin, who falsely accused him of treason and expelled him from his lands in the county, but he did not see a better candidate for king than Baudouin. He was supported by the sick patriarch Arnulf. Just on the day of the royal funeral, April 7, Baudouin of Edessa appeared in Jerusalem. Perhaps having heard of Baudouin I's illness the previous year, he decided to go on the Easter pilgrimage to Jerusalem. He was joyfully welcomed and unanimously elected king. On Easter, April 14, 1118, he was anointed king by Patriarch Arnulf, who died two weeks later, but was not crowned. His coronation took place a year and 8 months later on Christmas Day, December 25, 1119, in Bethlehem.

Baudouin II, like his predecessor, was an energetic, courageous and power-hungry man, although not such a hero as the deceased king. His face was adorned with a wonderful light beard. He was more calculating and cunning, more self-possessed, less inclined to take risks and act at random.

He could amaze those around him with a broad gesture, although he was rather stingy and petty. Unlike his predecessor, his personal life was impeccable and full of family happiness with his Armenian wife Morphia.

He was truly pious and had calluses on his knees from many hours of prayer. Piety, however, did not prevent him from being treacherous and selfish.

In Apulia, the mission, returning to Jerusalem with Count Eustache, met with new envoys who reported that a new king had already been elected. The members of the mission were so angry that they demanded that Eustache continue his journey and fight for the crown. However, Eustache, who was still not enthusiastic, did not want to start a civil war and returned to Boulogne. Although some doubts remained about the legality of the election of Baudouin II as king (this is stated by the historiographer Guillaume of Tire), after this the point of view was established in the kingdom that if a relative present in the East had a claim to the inheritance, it should be confirmed by his election by the barons in the High Court.

Josselin was granted the County of Edessa as a royal fief. Baudouin II, like his predecessor, was recognized as supreme lord also by his sister's husband, Roger of Antioch, and Pons of Tripoli.

The late Patriarch Arnulf, efficient, energetic and eloquent, was involved in many scandals, both corruption and morality, and was not respected as a cleric. In his place, with the approval of Baudouin, a Flemish priest, Hormon of Piquigny, was elected. He was efficient, like Arnulf, and, in addition, was known for his virtue and was universally respected.

No sooner had Baudouin ascended the throne than the alliance of Egypt and Damascus came out against him. The mission sent by Baudouin to Damascus with the aim of tearing Togtekin away from Egypt was unsuccessful. In the early summer of 1118, a large combined army of Egyptians and Damascenes gathered near Ascalon under the overall command of Togtekin. Baudouin called for help from troops from Antioch and Tripoli. The two armies faced each other for three months and then separated. “Everyone wanted to live more than to die,” Fulk from Chartres will note with a grin about this.

Josselin was in no hurry to go to Edessa. He was more needed in Galilee, which was constantly disturbed from Damascus. Edessa was under the leadership of Walerand du Puizet. After the Egyptian-Damascus threat ended in the fall of 1118, Baudouin, together with Josselin, crossed the Jordan and attacked the Hauran granary of Damascus. The son of Togtekin Buri set out with troops to meet them, but fell into a trap and was defeated. Togtekin concluded a truce with the king.

In the spring of 1119, Josselin, with a detachment of 120 cavalry, again went on a predatory raid across the Jordan, to the Yarmak River. There, in the meadows of Hauran, the Bedouins grazed their flocks. Josselin divided the detachment into two parts. The advance detachment, led by the Bur brothers, Geoffroy and Guillaume, was ambushed by forewarned Bedouins. Geoffroy de Burgh was killed, most of his people were captured, and Josselin was forced to flee. He called for help from King Baudouin, who arrived with an army. The Franks devastated Hauran, freed the prisoners and took tribute from the Bedouins.

After the victory at Tel Danit, the predatory raids of Roger of Antioch reached the very gates of Aleppo. Early in 1119 he captured the fortress of Bizzou, east of Aleppo, thus cutting off the city from the Euphrates and the Jazira and surrounding it on three sides. He imposed taxes on Aleppo and took away the right to collect taxes on caravans passing through the city. If he wanted, he could probably take the city, but he neglected the opportunity that opened up.

This was more than Ilghazi, who took control of Aleppo, could tolerate. Until now, he and his ally Togtekin had not risked starting a big war with the Franks, since they were constantly threatened from the east by the Seljuk Sultan Muhammad, whom they hated no less than the Franks. But in 1118 the Sultan died. All his governors and vassals immediately raised their heads and began to strive for independence. Muhammad's son and heir Mahmud was unable to retain supreme power in his hands and was forced to transfer it in August 1119 to his uncle Sanjar, the ruler of Khorasan. Sultan Mahmud, indulging in the pleasures of hunting and the harem, was almost not involved in Syrian affairs. Sultan Sanjar also never intervened in Syrian problems, since threats to his state came from the east, where a huge aggressive Khorezm state arose. The Syrian affairs of the Rum-Seljukids and Danishmendids of Anatolia, who were busy at war with each other and with Byzantium, were equally unimportant.

The hour of Artukid Ilghazi has come. In the spring of 1119, he sent messengers to the Turkmen and Kurdish tribes to gather an army from them, and entered into an alliance with Togtekin and the Munkidites of Shaizar. He even turned to Sultan Mahmud for help, but he did not answer him. At the end of May, Ilghazi's army, apparently numbering, according to a greatly exaggerated report, 40,000 (actually 8-10 thousand), mainly Turkmens and Kurds, as well as Bedouins, set out from Mardin to Antioch. Patriarch Bernard insisted on turning to the king and Ponce of Tripoli for help. The king was in Tiberias, where he had returned after a campaign on the Yarmak River in Transjordan, when in mid-June 1119 he received a request for help from Antioch. He said that he would arrive in Antioch as quickly as he could and would bring troops from Tripoli with him, and suggested that they wait for him and limit themselves to defense. The king summoned an army from Jerusalem, and Archbishop Euremar of Caesarea, who accompanied the army, was entrusted with the Holy Cross.

Ilghazi's army passed by Edessa, crossed the Euphrates at Balis and, waiting for Togtekin, camped at Qinnasrin, 24 km south of Aleppo. At this time, the Munkidites of Shaizar attacked Apamea. Prince Roger marched against Ilghazi on June 20, 1119, with an army of 700 horse and 4,000 infantry, rejecting advice to wait for help from the king and the Count of Tripoli. Roger crossed the Iron Bridge, wanted to move to Apamea, but changed his mind and set up camp on the eastern edge of the Darb Sarmeda plain, between Antioch and Aleppo, where a series of hills on the plain made it possible to organize a defense. Here Roger intended to wait for troops from Jerusalem and Tripoli.

The scouts, disguised as merchants, visited Roger's camp and reported to Ilghazi exact information about the number of Franks in the camp. Although Artukid Ilghazi's army was significantly larger than the Frankish army, he did not want to take risks and thought to wait for Togtekin. However, the emirs of the Turkmen and Kurds did not want to share the spoils with the Damascenes and insisted on an attack. Having taken an oath from them not to leave the battlefield alive, Ilgazi gave the order to attack. On the morning of June 28, Roger was informed that the camp was surrounded on all sides. There was little food and water, and there was nothing left to do but go into battle - break through the encirclement or die. Peter, Archbishop of Apamea, previously the first Frankish bishop in the East, in Albar, read a short sermon, the soldiers confessed and received absolution. Roger built his army into four detachments, the fifth detachment was a reserve, and threw it into battle. However, the superiority of enemy forces was too great. The Christian infantry was pressed against the cavalry and interfered with it. The wind suddenly changed direction and threw a cloud of dust into the Franks' faces. The cavalry, bombarded with arrows, got stuck in the mass of Turkmens and Kurds and was destroyed. Roger, surrounded by close knights, died at the foot of his cross, decorated with precious stones. Only two barons with a handful of knights were able to break through the enemy encirclement. A few were captured, but their fate was even more terrible than that of the dead. Some of them were beaten to death on the spot, the beating of others was stopped by Ilghazi so that the residents of Aleppo could take part in the torture. The Franks called the battlefield the "Bloody Field".

Ilghazi spent his time in Aleppo in feasts and solemn services. He sent letters to all the rulers of the Muslim world, reporting his great victory. In response, the Caliph sent him the title “Star of Faith” and clothes of honor. For the first time, the concept of “jihad” took on clear outlines. Antioch could have been easily captured, but the Turkmens and Kurds, loaded with booty, considered the war over and began to flee home. Patriarch Bernard in Antioch took power into his own hands. Fearing treason, he disarmed the local Christians and forbade them to leave their homes, then armed the Latin clergy and merchants and placed them to guard the walls. Intelligence finally reaching the walls of Antioch told Ilgazi that the city was protected by a strong garrison.

At the beginning of August 1119, King Baudouin II arrived in Antioch with Pons of Tripoli. He was solemnly greeted by his sister, the widowed Princess Cecile, Patriarch Bernard and the people. A thanksgiving service was held at St. Peter's Cathedral. It was decided that Baudouin would take over the administration of the city until the coming of age of 10-year-old Bohemond, who lived in Italy with his mother Constance of France. Upon arrival in Antioch, he will have to marry one of the king's daughters. After this, Baudouin redistributed the fiefs in Antioch, marrying the widows of the dead lords to knights from his army or those who arrived from the West. Josselin was proclaimed Count of Edessa. Then, after a solemn barefoot religious procession around the cathedral, the king led an army of seven hundred cavalry and a thousand foot soldiers out of the city and led it against the enemy.

At this time, Togtekin joined Ilgazi. The Muslims conquered fortresses east of Orontes - Atareb, Zerdana, Biredzhik and several small castles. The battle took place near Tel Danit, where in 1115 Roger defeated the Sultan's army. Ilghazi attacked at dawn on August 14, but the king was ready for battle. The Archbishop of Caesarea gave a short parting word, gave the soldiers an absolution and blessed them with the Holy Cross. Pons of Tripoli attacked Togtekin on the right Frankish flank, was repulsed, but retreated without losing formation. Robert the Leper with a detachment from Zerdana made his way through the ranks of the Turkmen, turned back and rushed into battle again, but was knocked off his horse and taken prisoner. King Baudouin repulsed enemy attacks in the center and on the left flank, went on the offensive and at the decisive moment threw a reserve into the battle. The Turkmen fled, but the main Muslim forces retreated, maintaining order. Baudouin, due to significant losses, did not pursue the retreaters. Ilghazi and Togtekin returned to Aleppo, brought prisoners with them and declared victory. Again the prisoners were torn to pieces by the crowd, and Robert the Leper was killed with his own hand by Atabek Togtekin. The fleeing soldiers of Pons were the first to reach Antioch; they brought the news of defeat. However, the king’s messenger soon arrived, bringing the ring from Baudouin’s hand as proof of victory.

The Turkmens of Ilgazi did not want to fight anymore, and his disciplinary measures did not help: he ordered several rebels and deserters to be shaved and castrated. “You need to know that Ilghazi ibn Artuk never led long campaigns against the Franks; The Turkmens were attracted to his banner only by greed. They came with sacks containing flour and dried lamb cut into strips. The entire time the campaign was going on, Ilghazi was forced to literally count the hours until its end and returned back as quickly as possible. If the campaign dragged on and he did not have money to pay, the Turkmens fled,” says chronicler Ibn al-Athir.

Baudouin marched south, recapturing several lost castles, and then returned in triumph to Antioch. The Holy Cross was sent south to be in Jerusalem by the day of the Exaltation of the Cross (September 14). The king spent the autumn in Antioch and at the beginning of December went to Jerusalem, taking with him his wife and young daughters. At Christmas, Morphia was crowned. Patriarch Bernard remained to rule in Antioch, and Josselin remained in Edessa. The Principality of Galilee was given as a royal fief to Guillaume de Bure, who later became constable of the kingdom.

The defeat at the "Bloody Field" inflicted significant casualties on the Franks, who were already outnumbered by the Muslims. King Baudouin saved the situation with his timely intervention and was unconditionally recognized by the entire Frankish East as the supreme lord. It was clear to everyone that the Franks must always act together and unwaveringly maintain unity.

2. Cathedral in Nablus. The emergence of knightly orders.

In January 1120, a council was held in Nablus, which was also the Crown Council, where all the most significant spiritual and secular barons were present. The council adopted 25 resolutions, some of which, apparently, the pope insisted on and which were a concession from the king to the church for its support. The first three decrees gave the church the right to church tithes, which it had hitherto been denied, and gave the patriarch the right to investiture (appointment to a church position), although now investiture had to be carried out with the approval of the king. Other decrees were retroactively directed against the sins of the former king and patriarch. Nablus decrees established punishment for bigamy and homosexuality, for which King Baudouin I was guilty, as well as punishment for sexual contacts with Muslims, for which his second wife was accused, and punishment for violating the marriage laws of Christianity, for which the former patriarch, who gave permission to marriage of a Christian with a Muslim woman. Other regulations established penalties for adultery, theft, defined High Court rights, and expanded the rights of self-defense. Latin merchants were given the right to trade everywhere in Jerusalem, and local Christians and even Muslims were allowed to import vegetables and grain into the city duty-free.

Apparently, at this cathedral in Nablus, Hugo de Payens, a knight from Champagne, with eight comrades, brought Patriarch Hormont, in addition to the three usual monastic vows - personal poverty, chastity and obedience, and a fourth vow - to provide protection and assistance to pilgrims on the still dangerous road from Jaffa to Jerusalem, thus marking the beginning of the Templar Order.

Perhaps the creation of spiritual knightly orders followed the example of Muslim ribet, military service that Muslims performed for a certain time as a religious duty in frontier fortresses. However, unlike the ribet, in the Christian knightly orders the service was permanent.

The founding of spiritual knightly orders was a significant internal political event in the reign of Baudouin II and in the entire history of the Holy Land. King Baudouin in 1118 allowed the Templars, or templars, to settle in one wing of the royal palace on the Temple Mount, in the so-called Temple of Solomon - Templum Solomonis (formerly the al-Aqsa Mosque), from which the community received its name. When under Fulk a royal palace was built in Jerusalem, adjacent to the Tower of David, and the king moved into it, he gave the entire Temple (Temple) to the Templars.

The Templars initially followed the order's rules of the Benedictines and dressed like laymen, until they managed to attract the attention of Bernard, the powerful Abbot of Clairvaux, the future saint, who at the Council of Troyes in 1128 gave them the opportunity to adopt their own order's rules, later revised several times . They received, following the example of the Cistercians, a white mantle as their own clothing, to which Pope Eugene III added a red cross for distinction - “white as an emblem of chastity, red - of martyrdom” (Jacques of Vitry, Bishop of Acre). There were three different classes in the order: knights, all, without exception, of the nobility; ministers of non-noble origin who carried weapons, and clerics - chaplains who performed non-military duties. Knights wore a red cross on a white cloak, ministers wore a black one. The name of their two-color (baussant - bossan, in Old French) banner (white with a wide black stripe along the upper edge) first lost its meaning, and then under the pen of the famous 19th century novelist. turned into an incomprehensible and mysterious word-spell - le Beausseant (le Beaucean).

In 1132, Bernard of Clairvaux sent out a recruitment letter “In Praise of the New Army,” in which he praised the order’s knights serving God as an ideal in comparison with worldly robber knights, which provided the Templars with a significant influx of people. Hugues de Payen spent most of his time in Europe, recruiting new members into the order. Pope Innocent II in 1139, in his bull, once again defined the goals and objectives of the order. At the same time, the pope awarded the Templars a number of privileges, such as execution (exemption from the jurisdiction of the local church with direct subordination to the pope). The first two masters, Hugues de Payen and Robert de Craon, did a lot to establish and strengthen the order. They successfully recruited knights and soldiers in Europe to serve in the Holy Land, sought favors and privileges from the popes for the order, and attracted generous gifts from the princes and nobility of the West. They led the order one after another for more than 30 years.

The example of the Templars was followed by the Hospitallers, or Johannites. From a community engaged in caring for the sick and providing assistance to pilgrims, they turned into a hospital and at the same time a military order. Around 1080, several citizens of the Italian city of Amalfi founded a hospital in Jerusalem in honor of St. John the Merciful (Merciful), Patriarch of Alexandria, famous at the beginning of the 7th century. generous distribution of alms. The hospital was located at the Benedictine monastery of St. Mary of the Latin, located in the Valley of Jehoshaphat near the walls of Jerusalem. The hospital was staffed mainly by Amalfi residents who took the usual monastic vows under the direction of a master who was subordinate to the abbot of the Benedictine monastery. At the time of the conquest of Jerusalem by the Crusaders, the master was a certain Gerard the Blessed, probably from Amalfi. Before the siege began, he and his comrades were expelled from Jerusalem by the Fatimid governor, and his knowledge of the situation inside the city served the crusaders well. After the capture of the city, the Frankish government provided premises for its hospital. Soon the hospital, where many of the pilgrims entered as assistants, left the subordination of the Benedictines and became independent, which was recognized by the pope in 1113. After the death of Gerard in 1120, Raymond du Puy became the master, who led the order for about 40 years. He believed that Hospitallers should not only care for the sick and serve pilgrims, but also fight to protect peaceful pilgrims from attack. The transformation of the hospital into an order was helped by the rise of the Templar Order. The increased rank of the community required the replacement of the little-known John the Merciful as its patron saint with Saint John of Jerusalem (Many researchers carefully avoid the question of who exactly this John is. And although most of those who remain believe that this is John the Baptist, some, including S. Runciman, it is believed that this is John the Evangelist (Theologian)). The distinctive sign of the Order of the Hospitallers was a white eight-pointed cross (the eight-pointed (Maltese) cross of the order repeats the design of the cross on the coat of arms of the city of Amalfi) on a black cloak (since 1259 - on a red cloak).

Rice. Raymond du Puy.

In 1130, the first charter of the Order of the Hospitallers was adopted, amended in 1182. In Jerusalem, near the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, a large building of the Hospital of St. John was built - the main residence of the order (Perhaps the Mosque of Omar was rebuilt). The hardest thing for the order was to free itself from the tutelage of the Jerusalem patriarch, since the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Hospital of St. John received general donations and gifts from Europe, the division of which, given the independence of the order, was disadvantageous to the patriarch. The order received its exemplary status, that is, direct subordination to the pope, in 1143 under Innocent II.

King Baudouin provided all possible support to the spiritual knightly orders. The orders received rich land holdings and were required to do nothing more than fight in the royal army. In secular fiefs, the sudden death of a lord and the transfer of his inheritance to a woman or child interrupted the formation of troops and gave the king a constant headache. The dead captives had to be urgently replaced by bachelors who had married widows, either available or arrived from Europe. The main task of the knightly orders, with their brilliant military glory and prestige, was the formation of combat units whose warriors were not distracted by issues of personal ambition or profit. In the second half of the 12th century. The orders of the Templars and Hospitallers could field approximately 300 knights and the same number of Turcopoles (light cavalry) on the battlefield. Another task of the knightly orders was the defense of fortified points. Due to a shortage of men, defenses in Syria and Palestine were built around castles and fortresses. Rulers and nobles, who lacked people and funds, gave or sold fortresses to orders. The orders also built new fortresses, repaired and expanded old ones, and the castles were garrisoned by order servants led by knights.

Soon, not only in the Holy Land, but throughout Europe, order houses (branches) arose, headed by commanders, usually appointed from above. As the number of order brothers and houses increased, the houses of one region began to be united into provinces, or priori, headed by priors, also appointed from above. Throughout Europe, lands and gifts were generously bequeathed to them, especially by returning crusaders or those who were personally unable to take part in the crusade. The orders, and primarily the Templars, gradually began to act as bankers and lenders. Now the baron, who had gone on a crusade, could not take all his money with him, but could hand it over to the order’s branch in his homeland and receive it upon arrival in the Holy Land.

The main task of the order houses in Europe was to recruit new members and send them and the resulting valuables to the Holy Land. The construction and maintenance of castles consumed huge amounts of money. Despite generous gifts and donations, the orders in Europe were not integrated into the local feudal system, since they were prohibited from taking anything from anyone as fief.

Of the other smaller orders, which also arose later, the Order of St. Lazarus (Lazarites) and the German (Teutonic) Order should be noted.

The Lazarite Order arose from the Brotherhood of the Leper Colony before the Gates of Jerusalem, first mentioned in 1140. The Brotherhood devoted itself from the very beginning not only to the care of lepers, but also to the fight against pagans, leprosy sufferers holding significant positions in the brotherhood and later in the order. Gradually, like the Hospitallers, the Lazarite community, which at first performed only hospital tasks, turned into a knightly order with the Templar charter. The head of the order was always supposed to be a person suffering from leprosy; Templars with leprosy had to join the Order of St. Lazarus in Jerusalem. When in the middle of the 13th century. There was not a single sick person who could take over the management of the order, because all the sick brothers died in battle, the pope allowed the order to change the statute: henceforth the order could be headed by a healthy master. Like other knightly orders, the Lazarites developed a large network of order houses in Europe, the construction of which was facilitated by returning crusaders and relatives of the sick. The Lazarite Order seems never to have freed itself from the jurisdiction of the patriarch and bishops.

From the brotherhood that arose to care for the wounded and sick under the walls of besieged Acre in 1189-1190, the German (Teutonic) Order was created by the decision of Pope Innocent III in 1198. Primarily brothers from German-speaking regions entered this order. The uniform distinction of the order brothers was white cloaks with a black cross. Later, around 1230, the order moved to the eastern Baltic and in the 30s. XIII century merged with other German knightly orders that existed there, established to assist missionaries and for their protection - the Order of the Sword and the Prussian Order.

3. The king is captured. Conquest of Tyre.

In 1120, Ilghazi attacked Edessa, and his nephew and governor in Atareb, Balak, attacked Antiochian territory. Patriarch Bernard sent messengers to Jerusalem asking for help. The king went north, taking with him Patriarch Hormon and the Holy Cross. Having learned about Baudouin's approach, Ilgazi called atabek Togtekin for help. Having positioned themselves opposite each other, the armies began to move either north or south on parallel courses, and the king did not succumb to Turkish demonstrations of imaginary flight. The Muslims were the first to have enough, Ilghazi concluded a truce with Baudouin, and Togtekin left for Damascus. From there he launched an attack on Galilee. When Baudouin appeared, Togtekin went home. In retaliation, in the summer of 1121 Baudouin crossed the Jordan and devastated the region of Jaulan, southeast of Lake Gennesaret. At the same time, Josselin made a robber raid into Jazira.

In 1122, King David IV the Builder from the Bagration dynasty, who led Georgia, south of Araks, defeated the Seljukid Toghrul, the governor of Arran in East Azerbaijan. Toghrul called on the Star of Faith - Ilghazi - for help against the infidels. In August 1122, the united Turkish armies fell into a trap and were completely destroyed by the army of King David, which included a detachment of Frankish mercenaries. Ilgazi, barely escaping death, reached Mardin, and the Georgian king liberated Tiflis.

Apparently there was no direct connection between the Orthodox Georgian kingdom and the crusader states in northern Syria, but Baudouin II managed to take advantage of the fortunate opportunity provided to him by the defeat of Ilghazi.

Ilghazi's eldest son Suleiman, appointed governor of Aleppo by his father, declared himself independent after his father's defeat in the war with David. King Baudouin immediately took advantage of this, attacking him and devastating his lands. The peace concluded by Suleiman with the Franks cost him the transfer of the fortresses of Atareb and Zerdana to them. Ilghazi, who entered Aleppo to bring his traitorous son into submission, did not start a war with the Franks because of their loss and confirmed his son’s agreement with the king.

In 1122, Count Pons of Tripoli suddenly rebelled against the supreme power of the king, declaring himself the head of an independent state. Having gathered an army in Acre, King Baudouin immediately marched north against the rebel. When the king approached, Pons submitted and was forgiven.

The rebellion ended on time, since just at this time, violating the peace treaty, Ilghazi, together with Togtekin, besieged Antiochian Zerdana. Baudouin immediately came to the rescue, Ilghazi retreated, and the movements of armies on parallel courses began again. Again, the Turks were the first to get tired of this; at the end of August they retreated, and Baudouin arrived in Antioch. Here they received bad news: Jocelin of Edessa was captured.

Having decided to intercept Artukid Balak, who was returning from Zerdana through the Edessa lands, on the road, Josselin himself was ambushed on September 13th. Matthew of Edessa relates: “Balak with eight hundred horsemen was waiting for him in a sheltered place where a river flowed, surrounded on all sides by swamps. As if possessed, the Franks rushed at the Turks, but could not overcome the swamps that protected them. The infidels wounded the horses with arrows, which fell to the ground. They defeated the Christians and captured Joscelin and Waleran [Birejik]. Both counts, chained, were taken to [the fortress] Karpoort and thrown into prison." Together with Josselin and Valeran, 60 of their comrades were captured.

Rice. Josselin of Edessa.

Balak offered to immediately release them all if they surrendered Edessa in exchange. Josselin’s courageous answer followed: “We are like camels loaded with luggage, when one of them dies, his load is transferred to another, so with us, what we owned has already passed into other hands” (Kemal ad-Din).

King Baudouin immediately arrived in Edessa. He placed the Monk of Marash at the head of the county of Geoffroy, and in October the Edessa Franks launched a raid on Muslim lands.

On November 3, 1122, Ilghazi died in Mayafarakin, and his possessions were divided between his children and nephews: the eldest son Suleiman received Mayafarakin, the younger Timurtash received Mardin, his nephew Badr ad-Daula Suleiman received Aleppo, and his other nephew Balak received lands from Karpurt in the north to Harran in the south.

In April 1123, King Baudouin, who arrived in the north, finally took the recently lost Atareb from Badr ad-Daula, then Biredzhik from Balak and arrived in Edessa. From there he moved north with a small force, perhaps in order to find out the whereabouts of Josselin. On April 18, when the king pitched his camp near the Euphrates, not far from Gargar, and was preparing to go falconry, the camp was suddenly attacked by Balak, who killed most of the detachment and captured the king. The king was treated with respect and taken to Carpoort, where he met his cousin Josselin and his cousin Valeran as prisoners. The prestige of Balak, who first captured Josselin and then King Baudouin II, rose to unprecedented heights among Muslims.

The Frankish states lost all their rulers at once: the prince of Antioch was killed, the king of Jerusalem (also the regent of Antioch) and the count of Edessa were captured, only Count Pons of Tripoli remained the current ruler. However, nothing terrible happened, which testifies to Baudouin’s administrative abilities; Geoffroy the Monk continued to rule in Edessa, and Patriarch Bernard continued to rule in Antioch. In Acre, Patriarch Hormon assembled a Crown Council, which chose Eustache Garnier, lord of Caesarea and Sidon, as constable and ruler of the kingdom until the king's release.

Balak believed that now it would be easy to end the Crusader states, but first he decided to unify the state of his uncle Ilghazi and started with Aleppo. It turned out to be harder than he expected: the city did not like him. Only in June did he manage to subjugate the city. In August he started a war with the Franks, conquered Albara and besieged Kafartab. And then stunning news from Carpoort distracted him from the war.

Josselin always had good relations with the Armenians, which were not interrupted even after the death of his first Armenian wife, the sister of Rubenida Toros. The fortress of Karpoort lay in the lands of the Armenians, and it was not difficult for Josselin to convey the message to his Armenian friends. Several of these friends, disguised as monks and merchants who wanted to bring a complaint to the governor, were allowed into the city, took out hidden swords, killed the guards at the gate and let in the rest, totaling 50 people. After a short battle, the fortress garrison was destroyed. At the convened council, it was decided that Josselin with three Armenian soldiers would leave the fortress to get help, and Baudouin would try to hold it for the time being. Hiding for days and walking at night, the fugitives managed to slip past the Turkish troops approaching the fortress and reached the Euphrates. From here Josselin sent one of the Armenians back to convey reassuring news to Baudouin. Josselin did not know how to swim, but with the help of Armenian friends and two inflated waterskins, which previously contained water, he crossed the Euphrates at night. And again, moving at night, the fugitives overcame dangerous territory and entered lands free from Turkish troops. With the help of Armenian peasants, Josselin reached Turbessel, where he was met by his wife and friends. Without stopping, he rode further to Antioch. But Patriarch Bernard did not dare to come to the rescue with the forces that he had, and Josselin rode further to Jerusalem. In Jerusalem, the first thing he did was bring his chains to the church above Calvary (heavy as they were, he carried them with him) and convened the Crown Council. Patriarch Gormon and constable Eustache Garnier gathered troops, which, taking the Holy Cross, Josselin led to the north. Arriving in Turbessel, they learned that they were late.

Having learned about the events in Karpurt, Emir Balak rushed to the fortress with extraordinary speed. He offered Baudouin free exit and delivery to his homeland, subject to the surrender of the fortress. Perhaps the king did not want to abandon his comrades, perhaps he did not trust Artukid and rejected the offer. The defense did not last long, Balak's miners (diggers) brought down the wall, and his army broke into the fortress. All 65 Franks and Armenians not killed in the battle were executed, with the exception of the king, Waleran and his nephew, who were transferred to the citadel of Harran. The emir's harem was in the fortress and during the rebellion completely went over to the side of the Christians. All the wives and concubines of the emir, numbering 80 people, were thrown in bags from the fortress wall.

Josselin did not dare to lead the army to Harran. In the fall, he devastated the outskirts of Aleppo, sent the army home and returned to Turbessel. Balak arrived in Aleppo to organize a campaign against the Franks, and in revenge against Josselin he turned Aleppo's churches into mosques. However, at the beginning of 1124, the Muslim governor of Menbij rebelled against him. Balak sent his cousin Timurtash to suppress the uprising. He captured the city, but the governor’s brother held the citadel and called Christians from Edessa to help. On May 5, Balak intercepted the Edessa army on the road and defeated it; Geoffroy the Monk was killed in battle. Balak spent the night in prayer, and in the morning he ordered the execution of the prisoners. He then approached Menbij to finish off the citadel. He received a message from besieged Tyre and was going to go to his aid. Balak did not put on his chain mail, and a stray arrow from the citadel wounded him in the groin. Pulling out the arrow, he said: “This blow brings death to all Muslims.” The Franks agreed with him and said: “The dragon, which so terrified God’s people, has now been killed.” He died on May 6, 1124, handing over his state to Timurtash, son of Ilghazi. Like him, Richard the Lionheart will die from an accidental arrow 75 years later.

Having learned that the kingdom was left without a king, in May 1123 a large Egyptian army left Ascalon and moved towards Jaffa. Constable Eustache Garnier, taking with him the Holy Cross, the spear of Christ and the miraculous vessel with the milk of the Mother of God, led the army from Jerusalem to meet her. In Jerusalem itself, the population made a religious procession barefoot from church to church. On May 29, at Ibelen, both armies clashed in battle. Despite their enormous numerical superiority, the Egyptians could not withstand the attack of the armored knightly cavalry and fled, leaving their camp to the Franks. This battle was the last for Eustache Garnier; he died on June 15. By decision of the Crown Council, Guillaume de Burgh became constable. The rich widow of Eustache Emma, ​​the niece of the patriarch Arnulf - an older woman, married the young Hugues du Puiset, Count of Jaffa, and her lands received a new lord.

Back in 1119, after the defeat at the "Bloody Field", King Baudouin sent messages to the Italian trading republics asking for help, promising them trading privileges. The king wanted to get rid of the domination of the sea by the Egyptian fleet, which was interfering with trade; in addition, it was necessary to conquer the port-fortresses of Ascalon and Tyre, which remained in the hands of the Muslims. The Pope supported the request. Pisa and Genoa, however, had no time for the Holy Land; they started a war among themselves. Venice agreed to help, and Doge Domenico Michele began to form a fleet. However, almost three years passed until, on August 8, 1122, this fleet of more than a hundred large warships set sail. He carried with him troops, horses and building materials for siege engines. However, the fleet did not go directly to Palestine.

For a long time, the Republic of Venice's relations with Byzantium began to deteriorate. The Empire concluded a trade treaty with Pisa in 1111, eliminating the Venetian trade monopoly in relations with it, which the Venetians had enjoyed since 1082. The Byzantine treaty with Pisa was similar to the treaty with Venice, although it provided for lesser trade privileges. Relations became strained when Emperor John II, thinking that due to the strife that had begun in Norman Apulia, he no longer needed Venice as an ally, decided to break his father’s agreement with her. Therefore, the Venetian fleet stopped along the way to attack the Byzantine island of Corfu. The Venetians, having completely plundered the island, besieged the city of Corfu for six months from November 1122, but were unable to take it. John had to begin negotiations with Venice, which ended after four years of war in 1126 with the restoration of the treaty of 1082.

At the end of April 1123, on the island of Corfu, the Doge received news from Palestine about the capture of the king. Reluctantly, the Doge lifted the siege and went to Palestine, stopping along the way only to attack a Byzantine ship. At the end of May the fleet arrived in Acre, and the Doge learned that the Egyptian fleet was in front of Ascalon. The Doge divided the fleet into two and sent a fast ship ahead to lure the Egyptians into a trap. The Egyptian fleet, chasing the bait, found itself between two Venetian squadrons and was completely destroyed. On the way back to Acre, ten more heavily laden Egyptian merchant ships fell into the hands of the Venetians. From this terrible defeat, which can be called a harbinger of Lepanto, the Egyptian fleet could not recover for a long time. The Egyptians lost control of the sea. The Doge was solemnly received in Jerusalem.

The Venetians were ready to help in the conquest of one of two possible ports. With the participation of the Doge, a Crown Council was assembled in Jerusalem, where the question of which city was better to besiege, Ascalon or Tyre, was decided. Opinions at the council were divided, the nobles of Judea defended the need to take Ascalon, and the nobles of Galilee - Tyre, and there was no king to resolve the dispute. It was decided to cast lots. Two identical sheets of parchment were placed on the altar in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, on one was written Tyre, on the other - Ascalon. The lot fell on Tyre. Negotiations on the terms of assistance continued throughout the fall. At Christmas, Venetians participated in services in Jerusalem and Bethlehem. After the New Year, in Acre, representatives of the republic and Patriarch Gormont, Constable Guillaume de Bureau and Chancellor Pagan signed an agreement on behalf of the king. According to the agreement, the Venetians received in each city of the kingdom a street with a church, baths and a bakery and, in addition, houses in Acre, a third of Tire and 300 bezants from the king's income in Acre. They were allowed to use their own weights and measures and were exempt from all taxes and customs duties. However, they were not exempt from the pilgrim tax (a third of the money taken for travel). The patriarch swore on the Bible that the king would confirm the treaty upon release, which happened two years later. The siege of Tire by land and sea began on February 15, 1124.

Since 1112, the city of Tire was subordinate to two authorities: secular - to Emir Masud, sent with a detachment of soldiers from Damascus by Togtekin, and spiritual - to the Cairo caliph al-Amir. The city recognized the supremacy of Egypt, and in the mosques prayer began with the proclamation of the name of the Shiite caliph Fatimid. For this, Egypt sent grain to the city by sea and helped in wars with its fleet. Vizier al-Afdal put up with this situation, since he needed Togtekin's help against the Franks. But in December 1121, al-Afdal was killed by an assassin on the streets of Cairo, and the Caliph al-Amir, who had gained power, decided to put an end to the duality of power in Tire. In 1122, a fleet was sent to Tire. The admiral in command of the fleet invited Masud to his ship, and when the unsuspecting Turk arrived, he was detained and sent to Egypt. In Cairo, Masuda was received with honor by the caliph and sent him to Damascus to Togtekin. Togtekin, like al-Afdal before, came to terms with the loss of secular power in the city.

However, now that the Egyptian fleet had been destroyed and the Franks were ready to begin the siege of Tyre, the caliph realized that he could not help the city in any way, and was forced to ask Togtekin to take over the administration of the city and its defense. Togtekin sent 700 Turks and food supplies to the city.

The city of Tire was located on an island located close to the coast, and was connected to it by a narrow dam, built by Alexander the Great in 322 BC, when he himself was besieging the city. From the sea, Tire was almost impregnable, and the approach from the dam was protected by mighty triple walls and towers. There was only one drawback in the city's defense - lack of water. It came to the city from the mountains via an aqueduct; the city did not have its own sources. On the first day of the siege, the Franks stopped the supply of water. Winter rains filled the city's tanks, but this amount could not be enough for a long time. The Franks set up camp in the gardens, in the place where the dam connected to the shore. The Venetian fleet anchored off the coast near the camp and blocked the sea routes to Tire. The Frankish army was commanded by Patriarch Hormon, whose authority was higher than that of the young constable. The royal army was soon joined by the troops of Pons of Tripoli.

The siege lasted more than four months. From building materials brought by the Venetians, siege engines were built, which bombarded the city walls on the dam for days on end. The besieged fought courageously, they responded by firing from stone-throwing machines and using “Greek fire.” However, their strength was dwindling, and there was an acute shortage of water and food. Messengers were secretly sent from the city to Egypt and Damascus. The Egyptians sent an army to the outskirts of Jerusalem a couple of times, but they did not dare to storm Jerusalem and only devastated its surroundings. Togtekin, at the beginning of the siege, approached Baniyas on the Jordan and waited there for news of the arrival of the Egyptian fleet in order to make a joint attack on the Frankish camp, but the Egyptians were never able to form a fleet. A part of the army was sent against Togtekin under the command of Constable Guillaume de Bur and Pons of Tripoli, and the atabek, not daring to engage in battle, retreated to Damascus. The last hope of the townspeople, Emir Artukid Balak, was killed in May before he could come to the rescue.

By the end of June, the city's situation was desperate, there was not enough water and food, and there was no strength to defend itself. Togtekin was informed of the impossibility of continuing the struggle and sent a parliamentarian to the Franks, offering to surrender the city on the usual terms: everyone can freely leave the city, taking movable property with them; those who want to stay must retain their property and civil rights. The Frankish and Venetian leadership accepted the terms of surrender, but the soldiers and sailors, deprived of the opportunity to plunder, almost rebelled. On July 7, 1124, Tyre surrendered, banners were raised above the main gate - the royal banner in the center and the banners of the Venetian Doge and Pons of Tripoli on the sides. The Franks entered the city, and lines of residents who did not want to stay, and a garrison came out of it; there was almost no looting. Now on the Palestine-Syrian coast only one Ascalon remained in the hands of Muslims. As S. Runciman joked, “having cut out their pound of flesh, the Venetians sailed home.”

Is the king naked? And maybe he’s not a king? March 6, 11:49 The League of Voters reports that the official data of the Central Election Commission differ greatly from the data of the Consolidated Protocol. For those who are too lazy to follow the link, I’ll briefly explain: “Consolidated Protocol” is a collection of