Amalric I, count of Jaffa and Askalon, later king of Jerusalem M / L XII
τὸν ἀδελφόν (DO V.19.2) (Amalric 51)
(Unspecified)
(null)
Narrative
(124)
Unassigned Activities
Authorship
(null)
Death
(null)
Description
(11)
He was the fifth Latin king of Jerusalem
in eadem sancta civitate Latinorum rex quintus. William of Tyre bk. 19, 1.3
He was 27 at his accession, and reigned for 11 years and five months
viginti septem annorum erat ... regnavit annis XI, mensibus quinque. William of Tyre bk. 19, 1.32-34
very young (in 1152)
valde adolescens. William of Tyre bk. 17, 14.34-35
He was experienced in secular administration, very sensible and discreet in action; his slight speech defect made him better in council than in formal public speaking; he was an unrivalled expert in the customary law of Jerusalem, especially as he had a sharper mind than the other leaders
William of Tyre bk. 19, 2.1-8
He was constantly struggling manfully to increase the size of the kingdom, and this led to many dangerous crises; during these he showed bravery, foresight and a kind of regal determination which meant that he never panicked
... animum regia quadam constantia conservans imperterritum. William of Tyre bk. 19, 2.8-11
He asked acute questions and enjoyed the answers; he preferred listening to history more than other subjects, remembered it well and could recite it back; his interests were serious, avoiding theatre or dice; he enjoyed hunting with birds of prey, and could endure heat and cold, insulated by his fat
William of Tyre bk. 19, 2.16-22
In ecclesiastical affairs he gave the church its tithes and listened to mass every day unless it was impossible, while making extortionate demands on church finances; he bore the insults of public office well, not showing even that he heard them; he was moderate in both eating and drinking
William of Tyre bk. 19, 2.22-30, 46-50
He had inordinate trust in those who served him, combining loyalty with the acceptance of a lack of accountability; he was reserved, lacking the affability that kings need, which was a major advantage of
Baldwin 53
; he indulged in the sins of the flesh, even seducing married women
William of Tyre bk. 19, 2.30-46
He was avaricious, defending the fact (to
William 4001
by claiming the need for royal munificence, and saying that a well-supplied king was a guarantee of the safety of the wealth of the subject; but, though he spent money freely on state affairs, much of it was in fact stolen from his subjects
William of Tyre bk. 19, 2.50-66
In appearance, he was of average height, with a kingly bearing, sparkling eyes, an aquiline nose, blond hair and a good beard; he laughed immoderately, though he liked talking to the wise and experienced; he was very fat (with pendulous breasts), but in all quite attractive
William of Tyre bk. 19, 3.1-10, 53-56
He enjoyed his tourism in and around Constantinople, as he was an inquisitive man keen to know the reasons for things
tanquam vir curiosus et causas rerum scire desiderans. William of Tyre bk. 20, 24.21-22
Dignity/Office
(10)
Count of Jaffa
comes Ioppensis. William of Tyre bk. 17, 14.34
Ioppensium comiti. William of Tyre bk. 18, 29.47-48
Count of Jaffa and Askalon
Ioppensem et Ascalonitanum comitem. William of Tyre bk. 18, 24.58-59
comes Ioppensis et Ascalonitanus. William of Tyre bk. 19, 1.4
King of Jerusalem
Παλαιστίνης ῥήξ. Kinnamos 237.8, 278.23-279.1, 280.11
regis. William of Tyre prol. 81
rex Ierusalem.
Seal 0
regis Hierusalem.
Seal 0
rex. William of Tyre bk. 19, 1.3
Ἱεροσολύμων ῥηγί. Niketas Choniates, Historia 160.30
Education
(1)
He was fairly well educated, but much less than
Baldwin 53
; however by his bright intelligence and retentive memory, frequent asking of questions, and zeal for reading whenever he had the chance, he was reasonably well-informed on subjects appropriate for kings
modice literatus erat et fratre multo minus, sed ingenii vivacitate et tenacis memorie beneficio, interrogatione frequenti, legendi studio cum aliquid ocii regni occupationes indulgebant, iuxta id quod regibus solet contingere, satis commode erat instructus. William of Tyre bk. 19, 2.12-16
Ethnic label
(null)
Second Name
(null)
Kinship
(27)
brother of
Baldwin 53
ἀδελφόν. Kinnamos 237.10, 250.13-14
fratre. William of Tyre bk. 18, 24.2
frater. William of Tyre bk. 19, 1.4
brother of
Sibylla 101
(sororis). William of Tyre bk. 19, 4.6
younger brother of
Baldwin 53
fratrem puerulum. William of Tyre bk. 16, 1.3
fratri suo adolescenti. William of Tyre bk. 17, 30.58
brother-in-law of
Thierry 4001
(sororius). William of Tyre bk. 19, 10.5
cousin (first) on his mother's side of
Raymond 17002
(they were sons of sisters)
consobrinus. William of Tyre bk. 21, 5.32
father of
Baldwin 54
(unde natus est). William of Tyre bk. 14, 3.46-47
(filius). William of Tyre bk. 18, 29.48
patri. William of Tyre bk. 21, 3.24
father of
Isabella 103
(filie). William of Tyre bk. 21, 14 (15).15
father of
Sibylla 4001
(unde natus est). William of Tyre bk. 14, 3.46-47
(filiam). William of Tyre bk. 19, 4.5
husband of
Agnes 4001
(uxor). William of Tyre bk. 14, 3.45
(uxorem). William of Tyre bk. 19, 4.2
husband of
Maria 17006
ἁρμοσάμενος. Kinnamos 238.5
(viduam). William of Tyre bk. 19, 4.46
(uxorem). William of Tyre bk. 20, 1.14, bk. 20, 22.65
husband (de facto) of
Agnes 4001
(de facto, non de iure, uxor). William of Tyre bk. 19, 4.39
husband (divorced) of
Agnes 4001
(relictam uxorem). William of Tyre bk. 19, 22.57
coactus est dimittere. William of Tyre bk. 21, 1.8-9
nephew of
Iveta 4001
(materteram). William of Tyre bk. 21, 2.4
relative (by blood) of
Milo 103
consanguineus. William of Tyre bk. 21, 4.4
son of
Fulk 4001
(liberis). William of Tyre bk. 15, 27.41
son of
Melisende 4002
nati sunt. William of Tyre bk. 19, 4.36
son-in-law of
Ioannes 17006
(cuius filiam rex uxorem habebat). William of Tyre bk. 20, 22.65
Language Skill
(null)
Location
(46)
Abydos
he sailed between Sestos and Abydos - Leander's strait Abidon. William of Tyre bk. 20, 24.42
al-Arish
reorganised his troops at al-Arish; Laris. William of Tyre bk. 19, 14.8
Aleppo/Beroia
made a damaging attack on Aleppo; τῶν Βερροιαίων. Kinnamos 290.10-13
Alexandria
besieged
Shirkuh 101
in Alexandria; Alexandria. William of Tyre bk. 19, 26.14
flew his standard above Alexandria, after its capitulation; Alexandriam. William of Tyre bk. 19, 31.19
Antioch (on the Orontes)
on his return from Egypt, he went immediately to help Antioch; Anrtiochiam. William of Tyre bk. 19, 11.8
Askalon
after his Egyptian expedition of 1167, he reached the kingdom at Askalon; Ascalonam. William of Tyre bk. 19, 32.20
ordered his troops to assemble at Askalon; Ascalonam. William of Tyre bk. 19, 14.2-3
to avoid encountering
Saladin 101
, he marched fruitlessly to Askalon and Darum Ascalonam. William of Tyre bk. 20, 27.16
was count of Askalon; Ascalonitensem. William of Tyre bk. 18, 24.58-59
Babylon (Egypt)
decided at Babylon not to pursue
Shirkuh 101
; Babilonem. William of Tyre bk. 19, 26.29
in his march into Egypt, camped near Babylon; Babilonia. William of Tyre bk. 19, 15.4
Beersheba
he moved south against
Saladin 101
, and camped at Beersheba Bersabee. William of Tyre bk. 20, 27.7
Bilbeis
he carried out a terrible massacre at Bilbeis Pelusium. William of Tyre bk. 20, 6.4
in his march into Egypt, passed Bilbeis; Pelusium. William of Tyre bk. 19, 15.1
Black Sea
He was taken up the Bosporos as far as the Black Sea Maris Pontici. William of Tyre bk. 20, 24.19
Cades-Barne
failed to intercept
Shirkuh 101
in the desert at Cades-Barne; Cadesbarne. William of Tyre bk. 19, 13.34
Cairo
in his march into Egypt, passed Cairo; Cahere. William of Tyre bk. 19, 15.1
waited outside Cairo for a huge ransom payment; Cahere. William of Tyre bk. 20, 9.29
Cilicia
having failed to meet
Melias 17001
, he attacked him in Cilicia Cilicie. William of Tyre bk. 20, 26.19
Constantinople
he was given guided tours to all the sights of Constantinople urbem totam. William of Tyre bk. 20, 24.12
made a visit to Constantinople; Βυζάντιον. Kinnamos 280.11-13
Constantinople: Blachernai
after spending some days at the Great Palace, he was transferred (for variety) to Blachernai Blaquernas. William of Tyre bk. 20, 24.3
Constantinople: Great Palace, harbour
By special dispensation, he landed at the harbour of the Great Palace introitum ... ad mare. William of Tyre bk. 20, 23.3
Damietta
he besieged Damietta; Ταμιάθι. Niketas Choniates, Historia 162.89
Darum (fortress near Gaza)
he had himself built Darum, the small fortress which he now tried to defend against
Saladin 101
William of Tyre bk. 20, 19.42-52
to avoid encountering
Saladin 101
, he marched fruitlessly to Askalon and Darum Darum. William of Tyre bk. 20, 27.18
Demenehut (near Alexandria)
in the siege of Alexandria, camped between Toroge and Demenehut; Demenehut. William of Tyre bk. 19, 26.13
Egypt
intervened to prevent
Nur al-Din 4001
from taking control of Egypt; William of Tyre bk. 19, 7.26-35
was a poor ally in the attack on Egypt; Αἰγύπτου. Kinnamos 278.22-280.1
Gallipoli (Thrace)
He was met by
Ioannes 17006
at Gallipoli Calipolim. William of Tyre bk. 20, 22.72
Herakleia (Thrace)
Because of contrary winds, he travelled from Gallipoli to Herakleia on horseback Eracleam. William of Tyre bk. 20, 22.75
Jaffa
was count of Jaffa; Ioppensem. William of Tyre bk. 18, 24.58
was count of Jaffa; Ioppensium. William of Tyre bk. 18, 29.47-48
Jerusalem
was king of Jerusalem; Ierusalem.
Seal 0
was king of Jerusalem; Hierusalem.
Seal 0
Jerusalem: Holy Sepulchre
He was anointed and crowned in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre; in ecclesia Dominici Sepulchri. William of Tyre bk. 19, 1.20-21
Lamonia (Egypt)
fought an indecisive battle in the desert against
Shirkuh 101
near Lamonia; Lamonia. William of Tyre bk. 19, 25.26
Nablus
he held an assembly at Nablus; Neapolim. William of Tyre bk. 19, 13.23
Nile
failed to prevent
Shirkuh 101
from crossing the Nile; fluminis. William of Tyre bk. 19, 16.1
Palestine
was king of Palestine; Παλαιστίνης. Kinnamos 237.8
Sephorie (Galilee)
he camped at Sephorie, a central base from which to intervene anywhere in the kingdom Seforim. William of Tyre bk. 20, 25.6
Sestos (on Dardanelles)
he sailed between Sestos and Abydos - Leander's strait Sexton. William of Tyre bk. 20, 24.42
Sidon
he intervened in person in the dispute with the Templars, meeting them at Sidon Sydonem. William of Tyre bk. 20, 30.38
Toroge (near Alexandria)
in the siege of Alexandria, camped between Toroge and Demenehut; Toroge. William of Tyre bk. 19, 26.13
Tyre (Palestine)
He married Maria 51 in the church at Tyre; in ecclesia Tyrensi. William of Tyre bk. 20, 1.12-13
Occupation/Vocation
(null)
Possession
(null)
Religion
(1)
Christian
He was willing to ask difficult questions of his faith, once shocking
William 4001
by demanding a proof of the afterlife; William convinced him by saying that, as God was just, another world was needed to correct the injustices of this one. William of Tyre bk. 19, 3.10-51
Eunuchs
(null)
Alternative Name
(null)