Baldwin+of+Boulogne

The most self-interesting of all the Crusaders or the one with the most foresight? This page should be a brief biography of Baldwin, explaining his early situation, his part in the major events, his involvement in both Cilicia and Edessa as well as his later role in Jerusalem. Quotes are essential.

PLAN: __[include quotes wherever possible]__
 * **Intro**- background, objectives for Crusade
 * **Early situation**- accompanying his brother Godfrey of Bouillon on Crusade, route taken in early period of Crusade
 * **Major events**- campaigns against the Seljuk Turks, following Tancred to Cilicia (rejoining main army at Marash), possession of Edessa (marrying the Armenian princess to consolidate)
 * **Jerusalem**- succession after death of brother Godfrey, consolidation

Baldwin of Boulogne was born in 1058. He was the son of Eustace, Count of Boulogne and Ida, Count of Lorraine.He was also the brother of Godfrey of Bouillon. He set out on the Crusade with his main objective being to establish himself in the East. In the end he achieved this goal through the taking of Edessa and then more famously as the King of Jerusalem in 1100. [AC]

Baldwin welcomed the crusade with delight as his homeland in Lorraine offered him no future, the east however a kingdom. He took up the cross alongside his older brother Godfrey who was more established than himself. Godfrey decided not to travel through Italy which had the most popular route taken by the other crusading leaders, and instead the roads through Hungary. Baldwin left Lorraine for constantinople in August as a member of his brothers entourage. They made there way through the Rhine and down the Danube reaching the Hungarian border. Here Baldwin had to remain a hostage under Coloman, King of Hungary, so as to ensure the peaceful passage of him and his brother's forces through the area as Coloman. (EC) However after the peaceful movement of Godfrey's troops across Hungary, Baldwin and the other hostages were returned to Godfrey's army. At this point, in what is now Serbia, they were met by Imperial authorities and marched relatively peacefully to Constantinople, which they reached on 23rd December. However at Constantinople Baldwin and Godfrey caused major trouble by refusing to meet with, let alone swear an oath to, Alexius. Alexius gradually lost patience and started to limit the food supplied to them. Baldwin in particular responded violently, notably by organising the capture of sixty of Alexius policemen and the killing of many. However in Spring 1097, shortly before the other Crusading princes began to arrive, Alexius decided that he could no longer tolerate Baldwin's and Godfrey's trouble causing (they were by this point sieging Constantinople!) and easily defeated them with a force of his experienced Imperial soldiers. Chastened and recognising their weakness both Baldwin and Godfrey swore the oath of fealty and hurriedly ferried across the Bosphorus.

On the march across Asia Minor, Baldwin did not play a particularly significant role. However he started to make a name for himself when the Crusading army split in two. (NH)

Soon after leaving Iconium, the main bulk of the army decided to go north to Caesarea. However, Baldwin decided to follow Tancred to Taurus. Taurus was avoided by the rest of the army as the path to the city was mountainous and narrow and the city could be easily defended, however the population was largely Christian with a turkish garrison. Tancred left for the city before Baldwin accompanied by 300 troops. However, on arrival he realised that he lacked the numbers to storm the city. Baldwin took longer to organise and consequently set off later than Tancred, however, he was accompanied by 2500 troops. When the troops of Taurus learnt of Baldwin's arriva;, they abandonned the city. The poplace opened the gates to the crusaders, however, it was Tancred who was the nearest and he immediately raised his standard above the city. When Baldwin arrived he demanded that the city be given ownership to him. Outnumbered and unable to resist, Tancred gave up the city. Relations strained beyond breaking. However, they became even worse when late comers of Tancred's party arrived at the city seeking admission. They were disallowed entry into the city by baldwin, and whilst they were camped outside the city at night they were slaughtered by Turks. Was this to be the final straw between 2 of the foremost crusader princes? [JT]

Baldwin had built up quite a reputation and was therefore soon invited by Thoros, to Edessa. Thoros decided that to increase his power he would adopt Baldwin as his son and successor. The citizens of Edessa did not like their leader Thoros, but they did like Baldwin. Therefore soon after Baldwin's adoption a coup toppled Thoros and he was killed. It is not certain whether or not Baldwin had a hand in the coup. Either way Edessa now belonged to Baldwin. Baldwin then married an Armenian princess Arda this helped him to make alliances between the Armenians and the crusaders, the second purpose of the marriage was to give Baldwin a legitimate claim to Edessa as it was within the traditional area of Armenia. Edessa was to become a buffer state between the crusaders and Muslim attack, this was proved when Kerbogha was delayed for three weeks whilst laying siege to the city, this allowed time for the crusaders to take Antioch before he arrived. Edessa became the first of the crusader states.[SS]

After the death of his brother, Godfrey of Boullion in July 1100 Baldwin ascended to the throne of Jerusalem after been invited to Jerusalem by members of the secular monarchy. Baldwin seemed the worthy sucessor been a blood relative of Godfrey and the first crusader to establish a stable crusader state in the form of Edessa. Baldwin left Edessa to his his cousin Baldwin of le Bourq and he set of to claim his prize of King of Jerusalem. However, Baldwin assecention wasn't without oppostion, this caim in the form of Tancred and the new power hungry partriach Diambert of Pisa who had Baldwin set out on an expedtion into hostile Eygptian territory, Baldwin return on the 25th of December and was crowned in Bethlehem due tothe the patriachs refusal tocrown Baldwin in Jerusalem. This can be seen as the begining of a long running feud between the church and the monarchy at Jerusalem. [GB]