Raymond II of Tripoli
Encyclopedia
Raymond II of Tripoli was Count of Tripoli
from 1137 to 1152.
He was the son of Pons of Tripoli
and Cecile of France
. In 1137, he married Hodierna of Rethel, daughter of Baldwin II
, King of Jerusalem
. Later that year, he succeeded his father, after Pons was killed in a battle with the army of Damascus
. Raymond was present at the battle, and considered the Syrian Christians
of Tripoli responsible for the treachery which led to his father's defeat and death. Therefore, after the battle he took many of them prisoner, and as William of Tyre
says, "visited upon them divers tortures in the presence of the people, and, in just proportion to the enormity of the crime which they had committed, he caused them to suffer death in its most cruel forms." This act was praised by the Latin Christians
of the county; "Such", William continues, "were the first proofs of valor which were given by the young count, whereby he won the affection of all his people and universal approval."
Later that year, Zengi
, the atabeg
of Aleppo
and Mosul
, besieged the castle of Barin in the territory of Tripoli. Raymond called for help from King Fulk of Jerusalem
, but Zengi defeated them in a pitched battle outside the castle, and Raymond was taken prisoner. Zengi continued the siege, but began negotiations with the besieged when he heard that further relief was on its way from Raymond of Antioch
, Joscelin II of Edessa, and Byzantine emperor John II Comnenus, who was in Antioch at the time. Those besieged in Barin did not know of these movements but readily agreed to hand over the castle to Zengi in exchange for the release of Raymond and an end to the siege.
In 1142 Raymond established the Knights Hospitaller
as a force in the county, donating to them Krak des Chevaliers
, an enormous fortress on the road from Homs to the Mediterranean Sea
, as well as other smaller castles. The Hospitallers were virtually independent in the county and were often responsible for the protection of Tripoli's borders, which were often raided by Damascus and the forces of Zengi.
, one of the leaders of the First Crusade
who had claimed the County of Tripoli before Tripoli had even been captured (thus Raymond II is numbered as if his great-grandfather was the first Count of Tripoli by that name). However, Raymond II was descended from him through Bertrand of Toulouse
, an illegitimate son. When Raymond IV's legitimate son Alfonso-Jordan arrived during the Second Crusade
in 1147, it was feared that he might enforce his greater claim on the county. Alfonso-Jordan died suddenly on the way to Jerusalem, and it was immediately suspected that he was poisoned, possibly by Queen Melisende of Jerusalem
on behalf of her sister, Raymond's wife Hodierna. This charge was never proven, but Raymond refused to offer any assistance to the crusade, which ended in failure. Afterwards, Alfonso-Jordan's son (also named Bertrand, and also illegitimate) captured the castle of Araima in Tripoli, and Raymond sought help from Zengi's son and heir Nur ad-Din, as well as Mu'in ad-Din Unur
, the governor of Damascus. They captured Araima, returned it to Raymond, and took Betrand and his family prisoner.
Raymond often quarrelled with his wife. Hodierna was very independent, but Raymond was a jealous husband and kept her in seclusion. There were also rumours that their daughter Melisende
was fathered by a different man. Hodierna's sister Melisende of Jerusalem, namesake of her daughter, was invited to mediate in 1152. Raymond and Hodierna were reconciled, but Melisende thought it would be best if Hodierna return to Jerusalem with her for a short time. Raymond rode out with them for a short distance, and on his way back to Tripoli, he was killed by the Hashshashin
at the gates to the city, along with two of his knights. He was the first non-Muslim
to be killed by the Hashshashin, probably in response to Raymond's establishment of the Hospitallers in the County. Hodierna immediately returned to assume the regency of the county for her son Raymond III
, who was still a child. Hodierna's nephew Baldwin III of Jerusalem
ensured the support of the nobles of the county, and Hodierna allowed him to give the castle of Tortosa to the Knights Templar
, in order to defend from an attack by Nur ad-Din, who invaded when he heard of Raymond's death.
Raymond and Hodierna's daughter Melisende was later a candidate to marry Byzantine emperor Manuel I Comnenus. Melisende was even referred to as "the future empress," but the emperor, perhaps hearing of her supposed illegitimacy, instead chose Maria of Antioch
. Raymond's son and Melisende's brother Raymond III felt personally slighted by this, and attacked Cyprus
in retaliation.
County of Tripoli
The County of Tripoli was the last Crusader state founded in the Levant, located in what today are parts of western Syria and northern Lebanon, where exists the modern city of Tripoli. The Crusader state was captured and created by Christian forces in 1109, originally held by Bertrand of Toulouse...
from 1137 to 1152.
He was the son of Pons of Tripoli
Pons of Tripoli
Pons of Tripoli was the son of Bertrand of Tripoli, and was count of Tripoli from 1112 to 1137.Pons married Cecile of France, the widow of his mentor Tancred, Prince of Galilee and daughter of Philip I of France...
and Cecile of France
Cecile of France
Cecile of France was a daughter of Philip I of France and Bertrade of Montfort. The Historia Regum Francorum Monasterii Sancti Dionysii names "Philippum et Florum et filiam unam" as children of "Philippus rex [et] Fulconi Rechin Andagavorum comiti uxorem", specifying that the daughter married...
. In 1137, he married Hodierna of Rethel, daughter of Baldwin II
Baldwin II of Jerusalem
Baldwin II of Jerusalem , formerly Baldwin II of Edessa, also called Baldwin of Bourcq, born Baldwin of Rethel was the second count of Edessa from 1100 to 1118, and the third king of Jerusalem from 1118 until his death.-Ancestry:Baldwin was the son of Hugh, count of Rethel, and his wife Melisende,...
, King 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....
. Later that year, he succeeded his father, after Pons was killed in a battle with the army of Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
. Raymond was present at the battle, and considered the Syrian Christians
Syriac Orthodox Church
The Syriac Orthodox Church; is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church based in the Eastern Mediterranean, with members spread throughout the world. The Syriac Orthodox Church claims to derive its origin from one of the first Christian communities, established in Antioch by the Apostle St....
of Tripoli responsible for the treachery which led to his father's defeat and death. Therefore, after the battle he took many of them prisoner, and as William of Tyre
William of Tyre
William of Tyre was a medieval prelate and chronicler. As archbishop of Tyre, he is sometimes known as William II to distinguish him from a predecessor, William of Malines...
says, "visited upon them divers tortures in the presence of the people, and, in just proportion to the enormity of the crime which they had committed, he caused them to suffer death in its most cruel forms." This act was praised by the Latin Christians
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
of the county; "Such", William continues, "were the first proofs of valor which were given by the young count, whereby he won the affection of all his people and universal approval."
Later that year, Zengi
Zengi
Imad ad-Din Zengi was the atabeg of Mosul, Aleppo, Hama and Edessa and founder of the Zengid dynasty, to which he gave his name.-Early life:...
, the atabeg
Atabeg
Atabeg, Atabek, or Atabey is a hereditary title of nobility of Turkic origin, indicating a governor of a nation or province who was subordinate to a monarch and charged with raising the crown prince...
of Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
and Mosul
Mosul
Mosul , is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some northwest of Baghdad. The original city stands on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh on the east bank, but the metropolitan area has now grown to encompass substantial...
, besieged the castle of Barin in the territory of Tripoli. Raymond called for help from King Fulk of Jerusalem
Fulk of Jerusalem
Fulk , also known as Fulk the Younger, was Count of Anjou from 1109 to 1129, and King of Jerusalem from 1131 to his death...
, but Zengi defeated them in a pitched battle outside the castle, and Raymond was taken prisoner. Zengi continued the siege, but began negotiations with the besieged when he heard that further relief was on its way from Raymond of Antioch
Raymond of Antioch
Raymond of Poitiers was Prince of Antioch 1136–1149. He was the younger son of William IX, Duke of Aquitaine and his wife Philippa, Countess of Toulouse, born in the very year that his father the Duke began his infamous liaison with Dangereuse de Chatelherault.-Assumes control:Following the...
, Joscelin II of Edessa, and Byzantine emperor John II Comnenus, who was in Antioch at the time. Those besieged in Barin did not know of these movements but readily agreed to hand over the castle to Zengi in exchange for the release of Raymond and an end to the siege.
In 1142 Raymond established the Knights Hospitaller
Knights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
as a force in the county, donating to them Krak des Chevaliers
Krak des Chevaliers
Krak des Chevaliers , also Crac des Chevaliers, is a Crusader castle in Syria and one of the most important preserved medieval castles in the world. The site was first inhabited in the 11th century by a settlement of Kurds; as a result it was known as Hisn al Akrad, meaning the "Castle of the...
, an enormous fortress on the road from Homs to 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...
, as well as other smaller castles. The Hospitallers were virtually independent in the county and were often responsible for the protection of Tripoli's borders, which were often raided by Damascus and the forces of Zengi.
Family
Raymond was a great-grandson of Raymond IV of ToulouseRaymond IV of Toulouse
Raymond IV of Toulouse , sometimes called Raymond of St Gilles, was Count of Toulouse, Duke of Narbonne, and Margrave of Provence and one of the leaders of the First Crusade. He was a son of Pons of Toulouse and Almodis de La Marche...
, one of the leaders of the First Crusade
First Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
who had claimed the County of Tripoli before Tripoli had even been captured (thus Raymond II is numbered as if his great-grandfather was the first Count of Tripoli by that name). However, Raymond II was descended from him through Bertrand of Toulouse
Bertrand of Toulouse
Bertrand of Toulouse was count of Toulouse, and was the first count of Tripoli to rule in Tripoli itself....
, an illegitimate son. When Raymond IV's legitimate son Alfonso-Jordan arrived during the Second Crusade
Second Crusade
The Second Crusade was the second major crusade launched from Europe. The Second Crusade was started in response to the fall of the County of Edessa the previous year to the forces of Zengi. The county had been founded during the First Crusade by Baldwin of Boulogne in 1098...
in 1147, it was feared that he might enforce his greater claim on the county. Alfonso-Jordan died suddenly on the way to Jerusalem, and it was immediately suspected that he was poisoned, possibly by Queen Melisende of Jerusalem
Melisende of Jerusalem
Melisende was Queen of Jerusalem from 1131 to 1153, and regent for her son between 1153 and 1161 while he was on campaign. She was the eldest daughter of King Baldwin II of Jerusalem, and the Armenian princess Morphia of Melitene. She was named after her paternal grandmother, Melisende of...
on behalf of her sister, Raymond's wife Hodierna. This charge was never proven, but Raymond refused to offer any assistance to the crusade, which ended in failure. Afterwards, Alfonso-Jordan's son (also named Bertrand, and also illegitimate) captured the castle of Araima in Tripoli, and Raymond sought help from Zengi's son and heir Nur ad-Din, as well as Mu'in ad-Din Unur
Mu'in ad-Din Unur
Mu'in ad-Din Unur al-Atabeki was the ruler of Damascus in the mid-12th century.-Origins:Mu'in ad-Din was originally a Mameluk in the army of Toghtekin, the founder of the Burid Dynasty of Damascus. When Zengi, the atabeg of Aleppo, besieged Damascus in 1135, Mu'in ad-Din was at the head of army...
, the governor of Damascus. They captured Araima, returned it to Raymond, and took Betrand and his family prisoner.
Melisende of Tripoli
Melisende of Tripoli was the daughter of Hodierna of Tripoli and Raymond II, count of Tripoli.- Biography :Melisende was named for her aunt, Melisende, Queen of Jerusalem. She was a cousin of Kings Baldwin III and Amalric I....
was fathered by a different man. Hodierna's sister Melisende of Jerusalem, namesake of her daughter, was invited to mediate in 1152. Raymond and Hodierna were reconciled, but Melisende thought it would be best if Hodierna return to Jerusalem with her for a short time. Raymond rode out with them for a short distance, and on his way back to Tripoli, he was killed by the Hashshashin
Hashshashin
The Assassins were an order of Nizari Ismailis, particularly those of Persia that existed from around 1092 to 1265...
at the gates to the city, along with two of his knights. He was the first non-Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
to be killed by the Hashshashin, probably in response to Raymond's establishment of the Hospitallers in the County. Hodierna immediately returned to assume the regency of the county for her son Raymond III
Raymond III of Tripoli
Raymond III of Tripoli was Count of Tripoli from 1152 to 1187 and Prince of Galilee and Tiberias in right of his wife Eschiva.-Early life:...
, who was still a child. Hodierna's nephew Baldwin III of Jerusalem
Baldwin III of Jerusalem
Baldwin III was king of Jerusalem from 1143 to 1163. He was the eldest son of Melisende and Fulk of Jerusalem, and the grandson of Baldwin II of Jerusalem.-Succession:...
ensured the support of the nobles of the county, and Hodierna allowed him to give the castle of Tortosa 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 order to defend from an attack by Nur ad-Din, who invaded when he heard of Raymond's death.
Raymond and Hodierna's daughter Melisende was later a candidate to marry Byzantine emperor Manuel I Comnenus. Melisende was even referred to as "the future empress," but the emperor, perhaps hearing of her supposed illegitimacy, instead chose Maria of Antioch
Maria of Antioch
Maria of Antioch was a Byzantine empress as the wife of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos. She was the daughter of Constance of Antioch and her first husband Raymond of Poitiers...
. Raymond's son and Melisende's brother Raymond III felt personally slighted by this, and attacked Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
in retaliation.
Sources
- 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. 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. - William of TyreWilliam of TyreWilliam of Tyre was a medieval prelate and chronicler. As archbishop of Tyre, he is sometimes known as William II to distinguish him from a predecessor, William of Malines...
, A History of Deeds Done Beyond the Sea, trans. E.A. Babcock and A.C. Krey. Columbia University PressColumbia University PressColumbia University Press is a university press based in New York City, and affiliated with Columbia University. It is currently directed by James D. Jordan and publishes titles in the humanities and sciences, including the fields of literary and cultural studies, history, social work, sociology,...
, 1943.