Reactions to the disappearance of Joscelin II of Edessa

Summary:

Joscelin's disappearance left his wife Beatrice with three underage children, a boy and two girls. She did all she could, more than could be expected of a woman, together with the remaining leaders of the county of Edessa, to preserve its few remaining possessions. Mas'ud of Ikonion would redouble his efforts to capture the remaining towns and fortresses. The emperor Manuel I would be inspired to try to take over those remaining possessions from the countess Beatrice, and Baldwin III would be convinced that Manuel's resources were better able to undertake the task than those of the hard-pressed Franks. Joscelin's capture entailed the loss of Azaz. He had ruled over it, rebuilt and refortified it. Nur al-Din proclaimed in the entire region of Aleppo that whoever could clearly prove his right to own a property in 'Azaz by means of a written document, he would respect that right. He shared the revenues of properties in 'Azaz among proprietors who could successfully prove ownership 
Dates:
1150: 
children of Joscelin II of Edessa, two female and one male (Anonymi 214)
  • They were left as minors at the disappearance of their father Joscelin 4002, under the care of Beatrice 4001 (:) William of Tyre bk. 17, 11.27
Baldwin III, king of Jerusalem (Baldwin 53)
  • He would do his best to preserve the remaining possessions of the county of Edessa, but come to the conclusion that Manuel 1 had better resources for the task than the hard-pressed Franks (:) William of Tyre bk. 17, 16.11-26
Beatrice, wife of Joscelin II of Edessa (Beatrice 4001)
  • At her husband's disappearance, she was left with a son still a minor and two daughters (a parallel with Constance 4002); she did all she could, far beyond what one could expect of a woman, to strengthen the remaining possessions of the county of Edessa (:) William of Tyre bk. 17, 11.26-31
Joscelin II, count of Edessa (Joscelin 4002)
  • He had ruled over 'Azaz, and rebuilt and fortified it, until Nur al-Din 4001 conquered the town and made him his prisoner (:) حصنها وشيدها ولم تزل في يده الى ان فتحها نور الدين بعه ان أسره Ibn Shaddad 383
Emperor Manuel I Komnenos (Manuel 1)
  • He would seek to take over the remaining possessions of the county of Edessa from Beatrice 4001 (:) William of Tyre bk. 17, 16.1-11
Mas'ud, sultan of Ikonion (Masud 17001)
  • He would redouble his efforts to attack the remaining possessions of the county of Edessa (:) William of Tyre bk. 17, 15.1-30
Nur al-Din al-Malik al-'Adil of Aleppo (Nur al-Din 4001)
  • He proclaimed in the entire region of Aleppo that whoever could clearly prove his right to own a property in 'Azaz by means of written dxocument, he would respect that right; he shared the revenues of properties in 'Azaz among proprietors who could successfully prove ownership (:) نادى في سائر بلاد حلب من كان له ملك في عزاز ومعه بينة تشهد له فالملك له ... وأقسم ما كان فيها من الغلال عليهم Ibn Shaddad 383