John of Ibelin, the Old lord of Beirut

-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_Ibelin,_the_Old_Lord_of_Beirut

John of Ibelin (c. 1179 – 1236), called the Old Lord of Beirut, was a powerful crusader noble in the 13th century, one of the best known representatives of the influential Ibelin family. The son of Balian of Ibelin and Maria Comnena, Queen consort of Jerusalem, he had close ties with the nobility of both Cyprus and Jerusalem, since he was the half-brother of Queen Isabella of Jerusalem. Before he was 20, he was appointed constable of Jerusalem, and a few years later became lord of Beirut, where he rebuilt the city after Saladin's conquest, and established the grand Ibelin family palace. He served as regent for two of his young relatives, Queen Isabella's daughter Maria of Montferrat from 1205 to 1210, and then Henry I of Cyprus from 1228 until Henry came of age in 1232. John was known as a principled man, and was seen as the natural leader of the Christian barons in the Holy Land. He resisted the power-seeking of Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor in Cyprus, and opposed the imperial forces until Henry came of age.

Early years

He was the son of Balian, Lord of Nablus and Ibelin, and Maria Comnena, widow of Amalric I of Jerusalem. By 1198 he had become constable of Jerusalem; the fact that he was the half-brother of Isabella, Queen of Jerusalem gave him considerable influence. At the time he was a vassal of Ralph of Tiberias, who was exiled from the kingdom after being accused of attempting to assassinate king Amalric II. John attempted to mediate but Amalric would not back down.

Lord of Beirut

Sometime before 1205 John relinquished the office of constable in exchange for the lordship of Beirut, which became the home of the Ibelin family for the rest of the century. He rebuilt the city, which had been completely destroyed during Saladin's conquest of the Jerusalem kingdom. He also constructed an opulent palace with art from both Muslim and Byzantine influences. A German ambassador in 1212, Wilbrand of Oldenburg, wrote an impressive account of the castle, describing fresco paintings, mosaics on the floors, and a marble fountain in the courtyard.[1][2] Historian Peter Edbury described the ambassador's account as "A feature of the public rooms were the Trompe-l'oeil effects achieved with marble inlays, with a floor resembling the sea and a ceiling 'painted with such life-like colours that clouds pass across, the west wind blows, and there the sun seems to mark out the year and the months, the days and the weeks, the hours and the moments by its movement in the zodiac'. A marble fountain with a dragon as the centre-piece stood in the central hall, its jets cooling the air and the murmur of the water giving an altogether soothing effect." The castle was so well fortified, that in 1231–1232, it withstood a siege lasting several months.[3]

Beirut was effectively an independent state under John's rule; in 1207 John added Arsuf to his territory through his marriage to Melisende of Arsuf, making him one of the wealthiest nobles in the kingdom.[3]

Regent

From 1205 to 1210 John served as regent in Acre, the new capital of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, for Maria of Montferrat, Queen Isabella's daughter. As regent, John helped arrange the marriage of Amalric II’s son Hugh I of Cyprus to Alice of Champagne, daughter of Amalric’s predecessor as King of Jerusalem, Henry II of Champagne. In 1210 he also helped arrange Maria of Montferrat’s marriage to John of Brienne, who was suggested by king Philip II of France.

By 1217 John and his brother Philip of Ibelin had become involved in the politics of the Kingdom of Cyprus as well. They had apparently alienated themselves from John of Brienne, but the two represented Cyprus at a council in Acre, which met to plan for the arrival of the Fifth Crusade. When Hugh I died in 1218, Philip became regent for Hugh's son Henry I of Cyprus, Philip's nephew. When Philip died in 1228, John took over the same office. Although both Philip and John were closely related to Henry I, as his uncles, they were still opposed on Cyprus by supporters of the Lusignan family, of which Henry was also a member; another of his uncles, Guy of Lusignan, and father Amalric, were the first two kings of Cyprus.

Battle for Cyprus

In 1228, the power struggle was amplified when Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II arrived in Cyprus on the Sixth Crusade. Frederick was connected to the Jerusalem nobles by being married to Isabella II, John of Brienne’s daughter, and Frederick attempted to use this to take power. He claimed the kingship of Jerusalem and the overlordship of Cyprus, as well as John of Ibelin’s lordship of Beirut, which John naturally refused. When lured to a banquet and then confronted with Frederick's armed guards, John was forced to hand over the regency, and Cyprus, to Emperor Frederick's control. However, this was temporary, as John later resisted with military force. After Frederick departed from the island in April, John's forces defeated the remaining imperial bailiffs in a battle outside Nicosia on July 14, 1229, thus beginning the War of the Lombards. Frederick sent an army in 1231, under the marshal of the Empire, which attempted to invade Cyprus. John was able to repel the invasion at the Battle of Agridi, but the imperial fleet sailed to John's power center of Beirut, which they besieged and almost captured. The imperial marshal, Richard Filangieri, was able to establish himself in Jerusalem and Tyre, which he had regained by treaty in 1229, but not in Beirut or the capital in Acre.

In Acre, John's supporters formed a commune, of which John himself was elected mayor when he arrived in 1232. The Commune of Acre was able to relieve the siege of Beirut, but in John’s absence from Cyprus, the supporters of the Lusignans took control. In any case, the boy Henry I of Cyprus came of age in the same year, and John’s regency was no longer necessary. When Henry I succeeded to the throne, both John and Riccardo immediately raced back to Cyprus, where the imperial forces were defeated in battle on June 15. Henry became undisputed king of Cyprus, and since he supported the Ibelins over the Lusignans, John's family remained influential.

Conflict continued, as Filangieri remained in control of Jerusalem and Tyre, and had the support of Bohemund IV of Antioch, the Teutonic Knights, the Knights Hospitaller, and the Pisan merchants. John, for his part, was supported by his nobles on Cyprus, and in his continental holdings in Beirut, Caesarea, and Arsuf, as well as by the Knights Templar and the Genoese merchant community. Neither side could make any headway, and in 1234 Pope Gregory IX excommunicated John and his supporters. This was partly revoked in 1235, but still no peace could be made.

In the last year of his life, John of Ibelin, as did many other elderly barons, joined the order of the Knights Templar, so that he could die as a Templar. His family was opposed to this, but John insisted, and was honored with a grand funeral in Acre in 1236.[4]

Family

John was married twice.[5] His first wife, in 1201/1202, was Helvis of Nephin. Little is known of the marriage except that the couple had five sons, all of whom died before Helvis died as well.[6]

In 1207,[7] John married Melisende, Lady of Arsuf, with whom he had five sons and a daughter:

• Balian of Beirut (d. 1247), who succeeded him as Lord of Beirut, and fathered John II of Beirut
• John of Arsuf (c. 1211-1258), lord of Arsuf and constable of Jerusalem, father of Balian of Arsuf (1239-1277)
• Hugh of Ibelin (died 1238)
• Baldwin of Ibelin (died 1266)
• Guy of Ibelin, constable of Cyprus
• Isabella, who became a nun[8]

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-http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/JERUSALEM%20NOBILITY.htm#JeanIbelin...

JEAN Ibelin, son of BALIAN of Ibelin Lord of Nablus, Rama and Mirabel & his wife Maria Komnene (1178-Acre 1236). The Lignages d'Outremer name (in order) "une fille…Heloys, et un fiz Johan et une autre fille Marguerite, et un fiz Phelippe" as children of "Belleem de Ybelin" & his wife, specifying that Jean was Lord of Beirut[173]. William of Tyre (Continuator) names him and specifies that he was uterine brother of Queen Isabelle[174]. The Chronicle of Alberic de Trois-Fontaines names "Iohannem de Baruth" as the son of "Bethuliani de Guibelin" & his wife[175]. Henri de Champagne King of Jerusalem appointed him Constable of Jerusalem in 1194, considering that Amaury de Lusignan had forfeited the post after his arrest after supporting the Pisan revolt in Tyre[176]. Jean Ibelin resigned his office of Constable and was installed as Lord of Beirut in 1205, the town having been recaptured from the Muslims in Oct 1197 by Henri I Duke of Brabant[177]. He was appointed Regent for Marie Queen of Jerusalem on her accession in 1206[178]. "Philippus de Ibelin" donated property to the Knights Hospitallers, with the consent of "Mariæ domina Hierosolymitanæ et Johannes de Ibelin procuratoris dicti regni, necnon Alicis comitissæ uxoris suæ", by charter dated 15 May 1210[179]. William of Tyre (Continuator) records that "Johan d'Ybelin et Felipe d'Ybelin" were uncles of Alix of Jerusalem whom they accompanied to Cyprus for her marriage before returning to Acre[180]. He and his brother Philippe left the kingdom of Jerusalem (maybe after rebelling against Jean de Brienne) and settled in Cyprus[181], some time before Sep 1217 when they both took precedence over all other liegemen in a document of the High Court of Cyprus[182]. "Johannes de Ybellino dominus Berithi…" subscribed the charter dated Oct 1217 under which "Hugo…rex Cipri" confirmed the grant to the church of Nicosia by "Philippus de Ybellino" for the soul of "domine Marie regine, matris sue"[183]. He succeeded his younger brother Philippe in 1227 as lieutenant for the regent of Cyprus[184]. After Emperor Friedrich II landed in Cyprus in Jul 1228, Jean refused the emperor's demand to surrender his fief of Beirut but agreed to accompany him to Palestine[185]. On his return visit to Cyprus in May 1229, Emperor Friedrich appointed five new baillis of Cyprus, Amaury Barlais, Gavinde Chenichy, Amaury of Beisan, Hugues of Jebail and Guillaume de Rivet, with instructions to evict all Ibelin supporters from Cyprus[186]. Jean of Ibelin retaliated by invading Cyprus in Jun 1229, defeated the five baillis 14 Jul and assumed the government of Cyprus until King Henri came of age in 1232. Amaury Barlais fled with King Henri and his sisters to the castle of Dieu d'Amour, which they surrendered in summer 1230 due to starvation[187]. He died following a riding accident, on his deathbed being admitted to the Order of the Temple[188].

m firstly ([1201/02]%29 HELVIS of Nephim, daughter of RAYMOND [II] Lord of Nephim & his wife --- (-[1208]). The Lignages d'Outremer name "fille dou seignor de Nefin…Heloys" as first wife of "Johan…de Ybelin…seignor de Baruth", naming also her sister "Aiglentine" as wife of "Rohart seignor de Kayphas, ayeulle de cestui seignor de Kayphas qui or est, et dou seignor d'Arsur, et pere de Agnes qui fu feme de Boverel en Gene"[189]. William of Tyre (Continuator) records that "Johan d'Ybelin…bail du roiaume de Jerusalem" was married to "la suer de Renoart de Nefin", although he supported Bohémond IV Prince of Antioch in his war with Renouard[190]. ...five children:

m secondly ([1209]%29 as her second husband, MELISENDE of Arsur, widow of THIERRY d'Orca, daughter of G[UY] of Arsur & his wife ---. The Lignages d'Outremer name "Melicent, qui avoit esté feme de Their d'Orguenes,…suer de Johan…seignor d'Arsur" as second wife of "Johan…de Ybelin…seignor de Baruth", specifying that she had seven daughters by her first husband who all died[191]. ...seven children:

-http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/giovanni-d-ibelin_(Federiciana)/ - La famiglia di G., noto come il 'vecchio signore di Beirut', era senz'altro originaria dell'Italia normanna. ... ...