Fulk of Anjou (1092 – November 10, 1143), king of Jerusalem from 1131, was the son of Fulk IV, count of Anjou, and his wife Bertrada (who ultimately deserted her husband and became the mistress of Philip I of France). Events May 9 - Lincoln Cathedral is consecrated. ... November 10 is the 314th day of the year (315th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 51 days remaining. ... Events Celestine II is elected pope. ... This is a list of Kings of Jerusalem, from 1099 to 1291, as well as claimants to the title up to the present day. ... Events May 9 - Tintern Abbey is founded. ... Fulk IV of Anjou (1043-1109), also known as Fulk le Réchin, was count of Anjou from 1068 to 1109. ... Counts of Anjou, c. ... Bertrade de Montfort (died 1117) was the daughter of Simon de Montfort-lAmaury and Agnes, Countess of Evreux. ... Philip I (French: Philippe Ier) (May 23, 1052 - July 29, 1108) was King of France. ...

Count of Anjou

He became count of Anjou (as Fulk V) in 1109. He was originally an opponent of Henry I of England and a supporter of Louis VI of France, but in 1127 he allied with Henry when Henry arranged for his daughter Matilda to marry Fulk's son Geoffrey of Anjou. Fulk went on crusade in 1120, and become a close friend of the Knights Templar. After his return he began to subsidize the Templars, and maintained two knights in the Holy Land for a year. Events Battle of Naklo Battle of Hundsfeld Fulk of Jerusalem becomes count of Anjou Alfonso I of Aragon marries Urraca of Castile Crusaders capture Tripoli Anselm of Laon becomes chancellor of Laon Births July 25 - Afonso, first king of Portugal Deaths Alfonso VI of Castile Anselm of Canterbury, philosopher and... Henry I of England, depicted in Cassells History of England, Century Edition, published circa 1902 Henry I (c. ... Louis VI the Fat (French: Louis VI le Gros) (December 1, 1081 – August 1, 1137) was king of France from 1108 to 1137. ... Events Conrad III establishes the Hohenstaufen dynasty when he is crowned antiking to the Holy Roman Emperor, Lothar II. First coalition of the Norman princes against Roger II of Sicily. ... Empress Maud (February 7, 1102 – September 10, 1169) is the title by which Matilda, daughter and dispossessed heir of King Henry I of England and his wife Maud of Scotland (herself daughter of Malcolm III Canmore and St. ... Geoffrey V (August 24, 1113 - September 7, 1151), Count of Anjou and Maine (province of France), and later Duke of Normandy, called Geoffrey the Fair or Geoffrey Plantagenet, was the father of King Henry II of England,and thus the forefather of the Plantagenet dynasty of English kings. ... This article is about historical Crusades . ... Events Welcher of Malvern creates a system of measurement for the earth using degrees, minutes, and seconds of latitude and longitude. ... The Seal of the Knights — the two riders have been interpreted as a sign of poverty or the duality of monk/soldier. ...

His first wife was Ermengarde of Maine (died 1126), the daughter of Elias I of Maine. Their children were:

1. Geoffrey of Anjou
2. Sibylle of Anjou, married (1) William Clito; (2) Thierry, Count of Flanders
3. Alice, married William Adelin
4. Elias II of Maine

Geoffrey V (August 24, 1113 - September 7, 1151), Count of Anjou and Maine (province of France), and later Duke of Normandy, called Geoffrey the Fair or Geoffrey Plantagenet, was the father of King Henry II of England,and thus the forefather of the Plantagenet dynasty of English kings. ... William Clito (October 25, 1102-July 28, 1128) was the son of Robert Curthose, Duke of Normandy, by his marriage with Sibylla of Conversano. ... Thierry dAlsace (c. ... William Adelin (1103 – November 25, 1120) was the only legitimate son of Henry I of England and his wife Maud of Scotland. ...

Crusader and king

By 1127 Fulk was preparing to return to Anjou when he received an embassy from King Baldwin II of Jerusalem. Baldwin II had no male heirs but had already designated his daughter Melisende to succed him. Baldwin II wanted to safeguard his daughter's inheritance by marring her to a powerful lord. Fulk was a weathly crusader and experienced military commander, and a widower. His experience in the field would prove invaulable in a frontier state always in the grip of war. Events Conrad III establishes the Hohenstaufen dynasty when he is crowned antiking to the Holy Roman Emperor, Lothar II. First coalition of the Norman princes against Roger II of Sicily. ... For other uses, see Anjou (disambiguation). ... Baldwin of Bourcq (died August 21, 1131) was the second count of Edessa from 1100 to 1118, and the third king of Jerusalem from 1118 until his death. ... A queen accepting fealty from a vassel, possibly Melisende herself, from the Melisende Psalter Melisende (1105 - September 11, 1161) was Queen of Jerusalem from 1131 to 1153. ...

However, Fulk held out for better terms then mere consort of the Queen; he wanted to be king alongside Melisende. Baldwin II, reflecting on Fulk's fortune and military exploits, aquiesced. Fulk abdicated his county seat of Anjou to his son Geoffery and left for Jerusalem, where he married Melisende on June 2, 1129. Later Balwin II bolstered Melisende's position in the kingdom by making her sole guardian of her son by Fulk, Baldwin III, born in 1130. Jerusalem (Hebrew: יְרוּשָׁלַיִם Yerushalayim; Arabic: القدس al-Quds; see also names of Jerusalem) is an ancient Middle Eastern city of key importance to the religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. ... A queen accepting fealty from a vassel, possibly Melisende herself, from the Melisende Psalter Melisende (1105 - September 11, 1161) was Queen of Jerusalem from 1131 to 1153. ... June 2 is the 153rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (154th in leap years), with 212 days remaining. ... Events Emperor Toba of Japan begins his cloistered rule sharing power with Sutuku, ex-emperor Shirakawas son. ... Baldwin III (1130-1162) was king of Jerusalem from 1143-1162. ... Events February 13 - Innocent II is elected pope An antipope schism occurs when Roger II of Sicily supports Anacletus II as pope instead of Innocent II. Innocent flees to France and Anacletus crowns Roger King. ...

Fulk and Melisende became joint rulers of Jerusalem in 1131 with Baldwin II's death. From the start Fulk assumed sole control of the government, excluding Melisende altogether. He favored fellow countrymen from Anjou to the native nobility. This led to resentment by the second generation of Jerusalem Christians who had grown up there since the First Crusade. These "natives" focused on Melisende's cousin, the popular Hugh II of Le Puiset, count of Jaffa, who was devotedly loyal to the Queen. Hugh II of Le Puiset or Hugh II of Jaffa (c. ... The Crusader state of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, created in 1099, was divided into a number of smaller seigneuries. ...

Fulk saw Hugh as a rival, and it did not help matters when Hugh's own step-son accused him of disloyalty. In 1134, in order to expose Hugh, Fulk accused him of infidelity with Melisende. Hugh rebelled in protest. Hugh secured himself to Jaffa, and allied himself with the Muslims of Ascalon. He was able to defeat the army set against him by Fulk, but this situation could not hold. The Patriarch interceded in the conflict, prehaps at the behest of Melisende. Fulk agreed to peace and Hugh was exiled from the kingdom for three years, a lenient sentence. Ashkelon or Ashqelon (Hebrew אשקלון; Arabic عسقلان ʿAsqalān; Latin Ascalon) was an ancient Philistine seaport on the east coast of the Mediterranian sea just north of Gaza. ...

However, an unsuccessful assassination attempt was made against Hugh. Fulk, or his supporters, were commonly believed responsible, though direct proof never surfaced. The scandal was all that was needed for the queen's party to take over the government in what amounted to a palace coup. Author and historian Bernard Hamilton wrote that the Fulk's suporters "went in terror of their lives" in the palace. Contemporary author and historian William of Tyre wrote of Fulk "he never atempted to take the initiative, even in trivial matters, without (Melisende's) consent". The result was that Melisende held direct and unquestioned control over the government from 1136 onwards. Sometime before 1136 Fulk reconciled with his wife, and a second son, Amalric was born. William of Tyre (c. ... Amalric I (also Amaury or Aimery) (1136-1174) was king of Jerusalem from 1162 to 1174. ...

Securing the borders

Jerusalem's northern border was of great concern. Fulk had been appointed regent of the Principality of Antioch by Baldwin II. As regent he had Raymund of Poitou marry the infant Constance of Antioch, daughter of Bohemund II and Alice of Antioch, and neice to Melisende. However, the greatest concern during Fulk's reign was the rise of Atabeg Zengi of Mosul. The Principality of Antioch, including parts of modern-day Turkey and Syria, was one of the crusader states created during the First Crusade. ... Raymond of Poitiers (1099-June 27, 1149) was prince of Antioch between 1136 to 1149. ... Constance Guiscard (1127-1163) was the ruler of the principality of Antioch (a crusader state) from 1130 to her death. ... Bohemund II Guiscard (1108-1131) was the Prince of Antioch between 1111 and 1131. ... Alice of Antioch (also Haalis, Halis, or Adelicia) was Princess of Antioch through her marriage to Bohemund II. She was the third daughter of King Baldwin II of Jerusalem and Morphia of Melitene. ... Atabeg is a title of nobility of Turkic origin, indicating a governor of a nation or province who was subordinate to a king or Emperor but senior to a Khan. ... Imad ad-Din Zengi (also Zangi or Zengui) (1087-1146) was the son of Aq Sunqur al-Hajib, governor of Aleppo under Malik Shah I. He became atabeg of Mosul in 1127, and of Aleppo in 1128, uniting the two cities under his personal rule, and was the founder of... Mosūl (Kurdish: Mûsil, Arabic: موصل, al Mawsil) or Nineveh (Syriac: ܢܝܢܘܐ) is a city in northern Iraq/Central Assyria. ...

In 1137 Fulk was defeated in battle near Barin but allied with the vizier of Damascus. Damascus was also threatened by Zengi. Fulk captured the fort of Banias, to the north of Lake Tiberiasand thus secured the northern frontier. Events Louis VII is crowned King of France. ... A Vizier (وزير, sometimes also spelled Wazir) is an Arabic term for a high-ranking religious and political advisor, often to a king or sultan. ... Damascus by night, the green spots are minarets Damascus (Arabic officially دمشق Dimashq, colloqially ash-Sham الشام) is the capital city of Syria and one of the worlds oldest cities. ... The remains of the city of Banias (Arabic pronunciation of Panias) are located in northern Israel, at the foot of Mt. ... The Sea of Galilee with the Jordan River flowing out of it to the south and into the Dead Sea The Sea of Galilee is Israels largest freshwater lake, approximately 53 kilometers (33 miles) in circumference, about 21 km (13 miles) long, and 13 km (8 miles) wide; it...

Fulk also strengthened the kingdom's southern border. His butler Paganus built the fortress of Kerak to the south of the Dead Sea, and to help give the kingdom access to the Red Sea, Fulk had Blanche Garde, Ibelin, and other forts built in the south-west to overpower the Egyptian fortress at Ascalon. Kerak was a Crusader castle in the Kingdom of Jerusalem, now located in Jordan. ... The Jordan River flowing into the Dead Sea The Dead Sea (Arabic البحر الميت,Hebrew ים המלח) is the lowest point on the Earths surface. ... (Red Sea is also the name of a state in Sudan) Conshelf II in the Red Sea (Sudan) The Red Sea (Arabic البحر الأحمر Baḥr al-Aḥmar, al-Baḥru l-’Aḥmar; Hebrew ים סוף Yam Suf) is a gulf or basin of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. ... Ibelin was a castle in the crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem in the 12th century, the namesake of an important family of nobles. ...

In 1137 and 1142, Byzantine emperor John II Comnenus arrived in Syria attempting to impose Byzantine control over the crusader states. John's arrival was ignored by Fulk, who declined an invitation to meet the emperor in Jerusalem. Events Louis VII is crowned King of France. ... Events End of the reign of Emperor Sutoku of Japan Emperor Konoe ascends to the throne of Japan Henry the Lion becomes Duke of Saxony Births Muin ad-Din Hasan, Indian Muslim saint Farid ad-Din Attar, Sufi mystic poet Deaths April 21 - Pierre Abélard, French scholastic philosopher (b. ... This is a list of Byzantine Emperors. ... Mosaic of John II John II Comnenus (September 13, 1087 - April 8, 1143) was Byzantine emperor from 1118 to 1143. ... The Byzantine Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered at its capital in Constantinople. ... The Crusader states, c. ...

Death

In 1143, while the king and queen were on holiday in Acre, Fulk was killed in a hunting accident. His horse stumbled, fell, and Fulk's skull was crushed by the saddle. He was carried back to Acre, where he died on November 10th and was buried in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Though their marriage started in conflict, Melisende mourned for him privately as well as publicly. Fulk was survived by his son Geoffery of Anjou by his first wife, and Baldwin III and Amalric I by Melisende. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, called Church of the Resurrection (Anastasis) by Eastern Christians, is a Christian church now within the walled Old City of Jerusalem. ...

William of Tyre described Fulk as capable soldier and able politician, but observed that Fulk did not adequately attend to the defense of the crusader states to the north. The Zengids continued their march on the crusader states, culminating in the fall of the County of Edessa in 1144, which led to the Second Crusade (see Siege of Edessa). The County of Edessa was one of the Crusader states in the 12th century, based around a city with an ancient history and an early tradition of Christianity (see Edessa). ... Events Louis VII capitulates to Pope Celestine II and so earns the popes absolution Pope Celestine II is succeeded by Pope Lucius II December 24 - Edessa falls to Zengi Montauban, France, is founded First recorded example of an anti-Semitic blood libel in England Normandy comes under Angevin control... The Second Crusade was the second major crusade launched from Europe. ... The Siege of Edessa took place from November 28 to December 24, 1144, resulting in the fall of the majority of the crusader County of Edessa to Zengi, the atabeg of Mosul. ...

Sources

• Orderic Vitalis
• Robert of Torigny
• Medieval Women, edited by Derek Baker, the Ecclesiastical History Society, 1978
• Payne, Robert. The Dream and the Tomb, 1984

Orderic Vitalis (1075 – c. ...

Fulk IV of Anjou (1043-1109), also known as Fulk le Réchin, was count of Anjou from 1068 to 1109. ... Counts of Anjou, c. ... Geoffrey V (August 24, 1113 - September 7, 1151), Count of Anjou and Maine (province of France), and later Duke of Normandy, called Geoffrey the Fair or Geoffrey Plantagenet, was the father of King Henry II of England,and thus the forefather of the Plantagenet dynasty of English kings. ... William II (called Rufus, perhaps because of his red-faced appearance, or maybe his bloody reign) (c. ... This is a list of counts and dukes of Maine, France. ... Baldwin of Bourcq (died August 21, 1131) was the second count of Edessa from 1100 to 1118, and the third king of Jerusalem from 1118 until his death. ... This is a list of Kings of Jerusalem, from 1099 to 1291, as well as claimants to the title up to the present day. ... A queen accepting fealty from a vassel, possibly Melisende herself, from the Melisende Psalter Melisende (1105 - September 11, 1161) was Queen of Jerusalem from 1131 to 1153. ... A queen accepting fealty from a vassel, possibly Melisende herself, from the Melisende Psalter Melisende (1105 - September 11, 1161) was Queen of Jerusalem from 1131 to 1153. ... Baldwin III (1130-1162) was king of Jerusalem from 1143-1162. ...