Lordship of Sidon
Encyclopedia
The Lordship of Sidon was one of the four major fiefdom
s of the Kingdom of Jerusalem
, one of the Crusader States. However, in reality, it appears to have been much smaller than the others and had the same level of significance as several neighbors, such as Toron and Beirut, which were sub-vassals.
Sidon
was captured
in December, 1110 and given to Eustace I Grenier. The lordship was a coastal strip on the Mediterranean Sea
between Tyre and Beirut
. It was conquered by Saladin
in 1187 and remained in Muslim hands until 1197. Julien Grenier sold it to the Knights Templar
in the 13th century, but it was later destroyed by the Mongols
in 1260 after the Battle of Ain Jalut
and its ruins were captured by the Mamluks. One of the vassals of the lordship was the Lordship of the Shuf.
Fiefdom
A fee was the central element of feudalism and consisted of heritable lands granted under one of several varieties of feudal tenure by an overlord to a vassal who held it in fealty in return for a form of feudal allegiance and service, usually given by the...
s of the Kingdom of Jerusalem
Kingdom of Jerusalem
The Kingdom of Jerusalem was a Catholic kingdom established in the Levant in 1099 after the First Crusade. The kingdom lasted nearly two hundred years, from 1099 until 1291 when the last remaining possession, Acre, was destroyed by the Mamluks, but its history is divided into two distinct periods....
, one of the Crusader States. However, in reality, it appears to have been much smaller than the others and had the same level of significance as several neighbors, such as Toron and Beirut, which were sub-vassals.
Sidon
Sidon
Sidon or Saïda is the third-largest city in Lebanon. It is located in the South Governorate of Lebanon, on the Mediterranean coast, about 40 km north of Tyre and 40 km south of the capital Beirut. In Genesis, Sidon is the son of Canaan the grandson of Noah...
was captured
Siege of Sidon (1110)
The Siege of Sidon was an event in the aftermath of the First Crusade. The coastal city of Sidon was captured by the forces of Baldwin I of Jerusalem and Sigurd I of Norway, with assistance from the Ordelafo Faliero, Doge of Venice.- Background :...
in December, 1110 and given to Eustace I Grenier. The lordship was a coastal strip on the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
between Tyre and Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
. It was conquered by Saladin
Saladin
Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb , better known in the Western world as Saladin, was an Arabized Kurdish Muslim, who became the first Sultan of Egypt and Syria, and founded the Ayyubid dynasty. He led Muslim and Arab opposition to the Franks and other European Crusaders in the Levant...
in 1187 and remained in Muslim hands until 1197. Julien Grenier sold it to the Knights Templar
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
in the 13th century, but it was later destroyed by the Mongols
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
in 1260 after the Battle of Ain Jalut
Battle of Ain Jalut
The Battle of Ain Jalut took place on 3 September 1260 between Mamluks and the Mongols in eastern Galilee, in the Jezreel Valley, not far from Ein Harod....
and its ruins were captured by the Mamluks. One of the vassals of the lordship was the Lordship of the Shuf.
Lords of Sidon
- Eustace I Grenier (1110-1123)
- Gerard GrenierGerard GrenierGerard Grenier was the eldest son of Eustace Grenier and Emelota. He succeeded his father as Lord of Sidon while Walter succeeded in Caesarea. His mother Emelota remarried Hugh II of Le Puiset, a cousin of Queen Melisende, whose relationship with the queen was suspected of being "too familiar."For...
(1123-1171) - Renaud GrenierReginald of SidonReginald Grenier was Lord of Sidon and an important noble in the late-12th century Kingdom of Jerusalem.-Rise to fame:...
(1171-1187, titular from then) - Conquered by SaladinSaladinṢalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb , better known in the Western world as Saladin, was an Arabized Kurdish Muslim, who became the first Sultan of Egypt and Syria, and founded the Ayyubid dynasty. He led Muslim and Arab opposition to the Franks and other European Crusaders in the Levant...
, 1187-1197 - Renaud GrenierReginald of SidonReginald Grenier was Lord of Sidon and an important noble in the late-12th century Kingdom of Jerusalem.-Rise to fame:...
(restored, 1197-1202) - Balian I GrenierBalian GrenierBalian I Grenier was the Count of Sidon and one of the most important lords of the Kingdom of Jerusalem from 1202 to 1241. He succeeded his father Renaud. His mother was Helvis, a daughter of Balian of Ibelin...
(1202-1239) - Julian GrenierJulian GrenierJulian Grenier was the Count of Sidon from 1239 to 1260, then becoming merely titular. He was the son and successor of Balian I and Margaret of Brienne...
(1239-1260, titular from then) - Sold to the Knights TemplarKnights TemplarThe Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
(1260) - Julian GrenierJulian GrenierJulian Grenier was the Count of Sidon from 1239 to 1260, then becoming merely titular. He was the son and successor of Balian I and Margaret of Brienne...
(titular, 1260-1275) - Balian II Grenier (titular, 1275-1277)
- Philip of Lusignan (titular, c. 1460)
- Phoebus of LusignanPhoebus of LusignanPhoebus of Lusignan was a titular Marshal of Armenia and also titular Lord of Sidon, the illegitimate son of Peter of Lusignan, titular Count of Tripoli....
(titular, bef. July 1485)
Lordship of the Schuf
The Schuf was created out of the Lordship of Sidon as a vassal around 1170. It was centred on the Cave of Tyron. Julian of Sidon sold it to the Teutonic Knights in 1256.- Andrew of Schuf (13th century)
- John of Schuf (13th century)
- Julian of Sidon (mid 13th century)
Sources
- John L. La Monte, Feudal Monarchy in the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem, 1100-1291. The Medieval Academy of America, 1932.
- Jonathan Riley-SmithJonathan Riley-SmithJonathan Simon Christopher Riley-Smith, K.St.J., Ph.D. MA, Litt.D., FRHistS is an historian of the Crusades, and a former Dixie Professor of Ecclesiastical History...
, The Feudal Nobility and the Kingdom of Jerusalem, 1174-1277. The Macmillan Press, 1973. - Steven RuncimanSteven RuncimanThe Hon. Sir James Cochran Stevenson Runciman CH — known as Steven Runciman — was a British historian known for his work on the Middle Ages...
, A History of the Crusades, Vol. II: The Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Frankish East, 1100-1187. Cambridge University PressCambridge University PressCambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world...
, 1952. - Steven Tibble, Monarchy and Lordships in the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem, 1099-1291. Clarendon Press, 1989.