Baldwin V of Jerusalem: Encyclopedia II - Baldwin V of Jerusalem - Baldwin's succession and death

Baldwin V of Jerusalem - Baldwin's succession and death

Agnes died around 1184 and Baldwin IV finally succumbed to his leprosy in 1185, leaving Baldwin V as king with Raymond III as his regent. The succession crisis had prompted a mission to the west to seek assistance: in 1184, Patriarch Heraclius, along with Roger de Moulins, grand master of the Knights Hospitaller, and Arnaud de Toroge, grand master of the Knights Templar, travelled throughout the courts of Europe, but no help was forthcoming. The chronicler Ralph Niger reports that his enormous retinue and opulent dress offended the sensibilities of many westerners, who felt they were not befitting a patriarch; surely if the east was so wealthy, no help was needed from the west. Heraclius offered the kingship to both Philip II of France and Henry II of England; the latter was a first cousin of Baldwin V, and had promised to go on crusade years before after the murder of Thomas Becket. According to Ralph Heraclius also offered the crown to any other prince he came across, but no one was interested.

Baldwin's reign lasted less than a full year, and he too died in 1186. It had been agreed that, should Baldwin V die as a child, the kingdom could be claimed either by his mother Sibylla or his aunt Isabella, the only surviving children of his grandfather Amalric I. The succession would be determined by a council consisting of the King of England, the King of France, and the Holy Roman Emperor. However, this agreement was completely ignored once Baldwin was dead.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Baldwin's succession and death", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki