#battle of montgisard

[aurianavaloria]

Your thoughts on The Battle of Montgisard?

Definitely one of those "once in a century" type events, imo.

There's quite a few YouTube video analyses/documentaries (and even attempts at various video game recreations) of the battle, so I won't repeat what you can easily find elsewhere.

But, suffice it to say, I think it was the combination of just the right factors that led to Baldwin's seemingly-impossible victory. These included (but are not limited to) the young king's own leadership skills, those of his commanders, Saladin's lack of preparation... and just plain old luck.😆

There's a quote from a user manual of an old RPG I used to play that says "Overconfidence can be an epitaph". This was very nearly proven true at Montgisard. Saladin's overconfidence, I think, was probably the biggest contributor to Baldwin's win. He thought he had Baldwin hemmed in at Ascalon, didn't think that the king would break past the force he left behind (or, at the very least, not that quickly), and let his army spread out too much. That plus the environmental conditions with the mired baggage train, and it became a recipe for disaster for Saladin - and a prime opportunity for Baldwin.

If you want a good laugh, there is an absolutely hilarious discussion of it here. BUT be warned that it is the kind of humor that is riddled with foul language, so if that's not your thing, beware. XD

[histinart]

the battle of montgisard by charles-philippe larivière (1842)

[tobeahundred]

Aere Perennius

Chapter Twenty Five: The Battle of Montgisard

TW: War and Violence

“Deus le veult!” The crusaders chanted in unison as they approached the Saracen army in a dauntingly slow, steady march. The foot soldiers formed a strong line behind them, while the crossbow men prepared to fire. As they approached within an arrows shot of the Ayyubids, the crusaders increased their pace, charging across the battlefield atop their warhorses with their lances lowered and swords raised proudly above their heads. The crossbowmen fired their weapons, bolts shattering enemy shields and armor. They carved through the scrambling infidels, making their ranks crumble like sand. “For St. George! For Jerusalem! For King Baldwin! ” Jerusalem has come.

Read more here

This art was made for me by the AMAZING Ionee Beruru. Please follow her on Cara or on Facebook. --

If you like my story please please consider supporting organizations like Doctors Without Borders and the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund.

[sunnycanvas]

Updated Masterlist for Winter 2024-2025

Fluff

King Baldwin IV reaction to drunk reader

King Baldwin IV reaction to reader being injured by her brother in law

Waking up early morning with Baldwin

Baldwin and Salah ad Din's daughter

Baldwin teaching his son chess and reader admiring them slight angst

Reader being married to Baldwin since childhood sharing kiss after Battle of Montgisard

Reader being blackmailed to leave Baldwin

Baldwin celebrating Christmas with reader and his in-laws in modern world

Jealous Baldwin reaction to reader wearing bikini

Baldwin comforting wife!reader after difficult birth

King Baldwin IV x Reader : Tantalizing Love slight angst

Reader teaches Baldwin to cook whilst she is pregnant

Baldwin taking care of pregnant wife reader

King Baldwin IV proposes female reader

(Y/N) gets caught Baldwin IV trying to heal him

Modern Day Baldwin and (Y/N) meeting again after dreaming of each other

Baldwin IV celebrates (Y/N)'s Birthday

Headcanon

Being queen consort of Jerusalem

King Baldwin IV as lover, husband and father

King Baldwin IV being angry at reader

Angst

King Baldwin IV being unfaithful to reader Alternate ending 1 Alternate ending 2

King Baldwin IV has to annul his marriage with reader

Lost Cause

Baldwin choosing between woman and he loves and woman he has to marry

Baldwin reaction to wife!reader trying to cure him

King Baldwin IV being angry at reader Part 1 Part 2

King Baldwin IV reaction to female reader who is missing is actually dead New!

Christmas Eve Special New!

King Baldwin IV reaction to female reader taking revenge on him New!

Smut

King Baldwin IV x Reader: Throne Sex

King Baldwin IV x Reader : Misogyny Sex

King Baldwin IV x Reader : Period Sex

King Baldwin IV x Reader: Erotic Night

King Baldwin IV seducing shy physician reader

King Baldwin IV spending honeymoon night with reader

Reader asking Baldwin help for her lactating breasts

Baldwin and chubby wife!reader trying anal sex

King Baldwin IV x Small!Reader Smut : Size Kink

Baldwin IV and Salahuddin's daughter (y/n) having sex for first time before their first battle

Baldwin IV being pervert towards (Y/N)

Baldwin and Salahuddin

King Baldwin IV x Reader x Saladin Part 1 Part 2 Part 3New! smut

Widowed reader marries Salahuddin angst

Salahuddin

Reader spoils him and loves being near him

Horror

Spectral Descent

History

A letter from King Baldwin IV and Princess Sibylla of Jerusalem Source: https://epistolae.ctl.columbia.edu/letter/25233.html

King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem appearance-STUDY by MariaExe on DeviantArt.com Artist- MariaExe on DeviantArt

King Baldwin IV appearance based on historical painting Part 1 Part 2

A letter From King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem to King Louis VII of France Source: Bernhard Hamilton -The Leper King and his heirs

LETTER FROM KING BALDWIN IV TO THE ENVOYS WITH NEWS OF SALADIN RAVAGES NABLUS, SEBASTE, AND OTHER TOWNS

Source:https://goodshksk.space/product_details/13546547.html

A Letter of Condolence to King Baldwin IV from Saladin Source: https://advocatetanmoy.com/2023/10/14/saladins-condolence-letter-to-king-baldwin-iv-of-jerusalem/

Seal of King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem Source:https://numismatics.org/collection/1956.152.1

Medieval Heroes: Baldwin IV

Miscellaneous

Would Baldwin be attracted to chubby and short person

Would Baldwin be unfaithful historically

Salahuddin: The conqueror of Jerusalem series King Baldwin IV

Would Baldwin be obsessive or possessive

Would Baldwin be impotent and would he be able to have sexual relationship

Can Baldwin be able to have sexual relationship: Revised Version

Did Historical Baldwin wear a mask and dress like the movie Kingdom of Heaven

Blurbs

NSFW thoughts

As Life Fades Sibylla remembers Baldwin IV

[httpsoftbunni]

🖼 art by @odlnus

The Leper King's Personal Struggles

Baldwin IV of Jerusalem, remembered by history as the Leper King, ruled from 1174 to 1185 AD. His reign was defined not only by external threats from the Muslim world but by an internal war, one that ravaged his flesh and sought to break his spirit. Diagnosed with leprosy at a young age, Baldwin's journey to the throne and beyond is a study in endurance, dignity, and the kind of strength the world cannot always see.

Baldwin's Early Life

Born in 1161 to King Amalric I and Queen Agnes of Courtenay, Baldwin was raised with the expectations of nobility and the education befitting a future leader. His tutor, the archbishop and chronicler William of Tyre, soon noticed something strange about the young prince. During play, Baldwin would laugh when the other boys pinched or struck him—“he seemed not to feel pain like the others,” William noted. This lack of sensation, particularly in his right arm, led to the realization that Baldwin had contracted leprosy.

Though the disease was still in its early stages, the implications were clear: Baldwin would be disfigured, disabled, and in the eyes of many, unfit to rule. And yet, “his mind remained bright, his wit untouched, and his strength of will surpassed that of many healthy men,” William wrote. This diagnosis, rather than ending his royal prospects, became the crucible in which his reign was forged.

The Physical Toll

Leprosy in the medieval period was viewed not merely as a medical illness, but as a moral and spiritual sentence. Those afflicted were often shunned, forced to live in isolation, considered cursed or unclean. And yet Baldwin, rather than being hidden away, was crowned king at just thirteen years old following his father’s death. He took the throne not with the confidence of youth, but with the weight of suffering already pressing on his shoulders.

As the years passed, the disease took its toll. His fingers curled in, his limbs grew weak, and his face became marked by the scars of decay. By the end of his reign, he could no longer walk, ride, or even sit upright without assistance. Despite these limitations, Baldwin continued to lead. “He was carried on a litter to council meetings, eyes clear, voice firm,” one chronicler wrote. The body failed, but the king remained.

In 1177, at the Battle of Montgisard, Baldwin led his outnumbered forces against Saladin’s army. He had to be physically tied to his horse to remain mounted. Even so, he inspired his knights to victory in one of the most astonishing triumphs of the Crusader states. His mere presence rallied the troops. “They looked upon him and saw not disease, but valor.”

Political Challenges

Baldwin’s reign was far from peaceful. The nobility of Jerusalem was rife with factionalism, competing interests, and disloyalty. His illness only added to the political instability, as nobles speculated over the succession, fearing a power vacuum. Baldwin understood this well and worked tirelessly to manage the crisis.

Rather than cling desperately to his title, he acted with wisdom and selflessness. When he could no longer manage the full responsibilities of the crown, he appointed his young nephew Baldwin V as co-king and established a regency to preserve order. He disapproved of Guy of Lusignan, his sister’s husband, fearing his arrogance and ambition. Though pressured to accept him as heir, Baldwin’s discernment proved prophetic—after Baldwin’s death, Guy’s poor leadership led to the fall of Jerusalem.

Even while bound to his bed, Baldwin negotiated truces, approved treaties, and issued laws. His mind, though enclosed in a failing shell, remained sovereign. He was no puppet king, but the true helm of the realm. His leadership wasn’t defined by pomp or spectacle—it was measured by perseverance, prudence, and the willingness to sacrifice his comfort for the sake of his people.

Suffering and the Christian Soul

To understand Baldwin’s reign is to enter into a deeper contemplation of Christian kingship and sanctified suffering. Leprosy, which was terrifying to those around him, became for Baldwin not only a physical affliction but a means of spiritual refinement. While many rulers gloried in their strength and health, Baldwin ruled through brokenness. He bore his disease publicly, not hiding it, not shrinking from its humiliation. This act alone took more courage than many battlefield charges.

He bore what Orthodox theology calls podvig—a spiritual struggle, a voluntary carrying of one’s cross. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Baldwin lived this reality. His kingship, far from being diminished by his condition, was made noble through it. The humility, patience, and quiet strength he displayed served as a witness to what true leadership looks like in the eyes of Heaven.

Unlike the crowned tyrants of later history, Baldwin ruled not for glory, but for duty. He served until his last breath, dying in 1185 at the age of twenty-four. His death left a void that no man filled. Within two years, Jerusalem fell to Saladin, and the fragile Christian kingdom began to dissolve.

Yet Baldwin’s legacy endures. His reign was not defined by conquest, but by constancy. Not by wealth, but by wisdom. Not by power, but by pain willingly borne.

Supported Readings and Sources

William of Tyre – A History of Deeds Done Beyond the Sea

Bernard Hamilton – The Leper King and His Heirs

Steven Runciman – A History of the Crusades

Ernoul and Bernard the Treasurer – Chronicle of the Crusades

Malcolm Barber – The Crusader States

Christopher Tyerman – God’s War: A New History of the Crusades

[seaswallovvme]

You are the one I’d come looking for. Over and over and over again

A/N: I am SO sorry for this but I can’t believe I’ve never seen a fanfic like this so I took it upon myself to write it. No beta reading or editing. We die like..nevermind

TW: angst, hurt and comfort, leprosy? No one is dying!!

People had thought her foolish for longer than she could think.

A pretty, young maiden from a good house, wealthy parents with political influence others could only dream of and yet she had chosen to marry a leper.

The king of Jerusalem was well known around nobility for more than just that of course, having won the battle of Montgisard against the Arabs at such young age seemed like a miracle from God above.

Even before that she had been by his side and it was not the fortunes, glory or status that had interested her which would no doubt be beneficial side effects of being married to him.

No young woman in her right mind would have willingly accepted the hand of a man doomed and she could hardly blame them.

Her parents had approved of the marriage as their hands were bound, depending on trade offers and the generosity of the holy land for their own existence.

Even then, when the letter from the court of Jerusalem had arrived they had been worried about the future of their darling girl.

Everyone had been, even nobility from far away and the news of King Baldwins marriage had spread quickly and then the whispering began.

She had never been bothered by the likes of them, faithful to her new husband who treated her with utmost care, she had everything she could have ever asked for and more.

He was a good man, gentle and wise for his age and he was grateful she had accepted his hand in marriage, he would have been a fool to not treat her well.

To him it was more than a political match propagating his strength to the outside kingdoms and his own.

To him this young woman was home, acceptance and love.

Despite all this their marriage was a slightly unusual one.

They had never been able to kiss nor were they able to consummate the marriage in a way deemed proper, the king refusing to risk contagion and his physicians agreed with him.

Despite all this she had never minded the lack of physicality in their marriage all that much.

She cared about him in a way that was beyond desires of the flesh, what they shared came close to holiness.

They talked a lot, shared poems and stories when she would caress his bandaged hands.

She would spend the late evenings in their shared chambers, after a tremendous amount of convincing, finally applying ointments to his sore, blistered skin to help it slow the spreading.

She would caress his bare back with fingers gentle as if she feared he would disappear into thin air, like a vision or a daydream, is she dared touching him too firmly.

In their eyes those sacred moments were almost enough but of course even the fate of the most pure could be harsh more often than not.

It started with a pale rash on her side, right over her ribs.

At first she had been sure it had come from spending too much time in the stables, perhaps she had been bitten by an insect.

Then one night when she had just finished brushing her hair before going to bed she noticed the tingling numbness in her fingers and feet.

It started slowly, like tiny ants crawling over her skin, not painful but the recognition was and she could feel her heart drop.

Though it wasn’t herself she feared for.

Baldwin let his best physicians be called to their shared chambers immediately.

After the three men had taken a look at her, whispering in a foreign language with their eyes drooped with worry and told them how deeply sorry they were the young king wished for his instant death.

He had always had a hard time being kind to himself, never to others but the wave of agony that rolled over him threatened to swallow him whole, burning like a demonic fury.

Her own eyes brimmed with tears and she sat up after the physicians had left, so frightened for her husband who was now sitting on the edge of the bed, his masked face buried in his hands with his shoulders trembling.

There was no use denying that she had caught the disease.

It was only a matter of time, she is playing with fire, others had whispered behind her back when they thought she wasn’t listening.

“Baldwin..” crawling up on the bed right behind him she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

The gesture that had comforted him even in his worst moments now seemed to shatter his heart even more so.

“I have been so foolish..my beautiful, beautiful angel” he whispered, his voice dying in his throat and when he raised his head his eyes were flooded with tears.

He was trembling as he spoke and she was frightened as he nearly seemed mad with grief.

“You should have never come here..I should have never asked anyone, you, to put themselves in danger for my foolishness. If the Lord wants to punish me so be it but why would he wish to punish you of all people? When it was I who was selfish?”

She only noticed that she too was crying when she tasted the salt on her lips, wiping it with shaking fingers.

“Do not say such things..you are not selfish, nor foolish. It was I who made the decision to accept the offer to marry you with the pain and dangers that I was warned of. And I swear to you that even now I do not regret our vows, a single day or night we spent together”

Reaching out for him he cupped his cheek, a pained smile gracing her features in the soft candle light of his chambers.

“Please do not blame yourself my love. I am not scared of my fate but I am scared of losing you, whether it be to grief or shame. I beg of you, don’t leave me now”

There had never been a moment where Baldwin had to fight against contempt for himself as in this very moment.

He disdained himself for causing her to share his fate when he should have been the one to be level headed, keeping a distance for her own safety when in reality he was the one searching for her warmth like a frightened little boy.

Now there was no use avoiding her, he recognised with bitterness seeping like pus from an open wound.

Now it was too late, the die had been cast but all words of comfort, an apology he could have offered her seemed to be worthless now and he knew this sweet, innocent girl would not hear it.

How wonderfully stubborn she could be sometimes, with too much love to give and headstrong to a point where it was almost unbecoming for a woman but he wouldn’t have it any differently.

“Come now” she murmured, shuffling on the bed to slip underneath the covers.

The silken sheets were cool against her skin and a part of her wondered for how long she would be able to feel them at all.

She pulled him in as she did every night since they had exchanged their vows, his head resting against her shoulder and she caressed his soft hair soothingly.

“The promise of God is not that He will never give us more weight than we want to carry. The promise of God is that He will never put more on us than we can bear.”

Her voice was so soft as she spoke, without a tremor and she was not scared anymore.

Not for herself nor for him, not when God was watching over them, not when her love for him burned stronger than ever and she could feel his heart beating, so alive and warm in his chest.

“Let us not waste the precious time we have..not a second”

This was something the young king could not disagree with and how eager he was for her comfort if that meant to comfort her.

Now he had to be strong for her sake when she needed him now more than ever before, and she was right.

The promise of God is that He will never put more on us than we can bear, no matter how heavy the burden can be in the darkest times.

He shuddered when he felt her gentle fingers sliding the silver mask off his face as she had done many times before but something about it now felt different.

His eyes were wide, still glossy and red, his face scarred severely but she could only see the man she loved more than anyone or anything.

They looked at each other for what felt like hours, the fingers of one hand entwined, the other on each others cheek, stroking over skin, gently brushing a strand of hair behind one’s ear.

She was the one to lean in first and to him the feeling of her soft lips on his, for the first time ever felt like he was being reborn.

The kiss was clumsy with inexperience but it could not have been more raw and honest.

She kissed him like she didn’t care about his disfigured lips and he kissed her like it was the last thing he would ever do.

Both of them kissed like they had been starving for this and now there was nothing left to lose and by the end of the kiss both of them were crying.

A soft sob rose in his chest, fading into a huffed out laugh and he seemed drunk with fondness for her.

She only smiled, wiping his tears as he wiped hers before leaning in again to kiss her warm, soft lips once more with more urgency this time, in disbelief that he would get to experience something like this after all.

Something that made him feel less alone, more like any normal young man instead.

A wave of warmth flooded him when he felt a small, soft hand slip underneath his nightgown, resting on his bare stomach and when he pulled away from the kiss, his cheeks flushed he recognised the desire in her eyes.

Honest and playful as she was and despite his nervously racing heart he gave her the most timid nod.

There was no fear within either of them now, uncertainty perhaps and pain surely, worry about what the future might bring but they had each other after all.

Each other and a life time left to love, however long that might be.

[gracetheconfused]

The Phoenix of Jerusalem Chapters 5 and 6

Chapter Five: A King Alone, A Man Remembering

They were six miles from Montgisard when Baldwin dismounted for the final time that day. The sun was already low, casting long shadows that bled into the dust. His fingers were stiff. The linen beneath his gauntlets was damp with blood and sweat.

The men joked behind him, low voices crackling like firewood.

He did not stop them.

He needed the sound. It reminded him they were still alive.

"...she was a widow, and not modest about it either—said I had the hands of a priest, but the hips of a butcher—"

Laughter erupted from the group of younger knights gathered around a wineskin. Another chimed in.

"My cousin's girl in Nablus swore she'd wait for me until Pentecost."

"Which Pentecost?"

More laughter.

Baldwin sat apart from them, a cloak pulled over his shoulders, veiled as always. Not one of them noticed him listening. That was the strange advantage of disease. It turned even kings invisible in plain sight.

They spoke of lovers, of girls with strong arms and nimble fingers. Of warm thighs, stolen nights, whispered promises beneath olive trees.

He listened, expression unreadable.

And found himself—unexpectedly, helplessly—thinking of her.

Not her body. He had never allowed himself such imaginings, not clearly. Not before, and not now. He was a king, a leper, a living relic. He knew what desire could not be.

But there had been moments. Fleeting.

Her hand brushing his shoulder after a long examination. Her eyes narrowing as she threaded a needle. Her voice, unadorned by flattery, telling him when he'd grown too thin.

She saw him, and it made him... ache. Not with shame. Not even with longing.

With recognition.

This is what it means to be wanted for more than your crown.

Even as a boy, he had only ever trusted one person that way. That fig-stained girl who gave him books and made him laugh until his lungs ached.

He hadn't known what to name it then.

He still didn't now.

Only that when the world narrowed to pain or duty, her presence—Amira's presence—brought a kind of silence. A kind of peace.

At dawn, they rode into the teeth of the enemy.

The battle came fast, brutal, and sun-blinded.

He wore armor that chafed his ulcered skin. He swung a sword with a hand that barely held it. He fought with the desperation of a man whose body betrayed him every hour but who refused to die lying down.

He remembered little of the worst of it—only flashes: blood on his horse's flank. The sound of metal cracking bone. A Saracen standard falling at his feet. Pain. White, blinding, obliterating pain.

He was pulled from the wreckage at dusk, half-conscious, burning with fever.

The last thing he heard before darkness took him was a voice—not one from the battlefield.

A woman's voice.

Calm. Familiar.

Calling his name.

He awoke a day later beneath clean linens, weak as water. The scent of myrrh and herbs clung to the air. His right arm had been redressed. His fever had broken.

And at the foot of the bed sat her.

Not reading. Not preparing. Just... waiting.

She looked up when he stirred. No smile. No false softness.

Just eyes like remembered wood, and silence that carried the weight of something unspoken.

"I don't deserve you here," he rasped.

"I'm not here because you deserve me," she replied, softly. "I'm here because I chose to be."

His throat tightened. He closed his eyes.

And realized, finally, that what he had felt back then—the reason he'd followed that girl through the gardens, and remembered her laughter more vividly than any hymn—was not just loyalty or fondness.

It was the shape of a feeling he had no name for as a boy.

But he did now.

Chapter Six : The Girl Who Would Not Forget

To heal him was never about pity. It was the only way to return.

Ysolde sat at the edge of the king's chamber long after he fell asleep. His breaths were shallow but steady. The fever had broken. The worst, for now, was over.

She adjusted the linen on his forehead with practiced care, watching the faint twitch of his brow as he drifted deeper into rest.

You came back for him.

Not for gold. Not for favor. Not even for forgiveness. Only this.

It had taken everything she had.

From the ashes of her childhood, she had crossed into a world that did not welcome her. A half-Jewish girl in a foreign land, orphaned, nameless, scarred. Her father's name—once spoken with respect in Jerusalem's court—was no shield in Aleppo. No one cared who she used to be.

The wounded crusader who took her in taught her the first rule of survival: Learn quickly. Speak little. Earn your place in silence.

Ysolde had done more than that. She devoured texts in Arabic, Syriac, Latin. She snuck into anatomy lessons forbidden to women. She sewed up dying soldiers. She treated children with skin eaten by fire and watched them recover because she had acted faster than the men around her.

She was denied positions she earned. She watched less skilled men step over her. She was called a witch, a foreigner, an ornament. But no one could deny the steadiness of her hand.

Abu al-Maʿshar had been the turning point.

He never smiled. Never praised. But he kept her. And that meant more than words.

He let her copy his anatomical diagrams. He let her mix his tinctures. And once—only once—he said, "Your mind is sharper than most men's. But it is your grief that fuels you. Make sure it doesn't burn you instead."

She never told him what that grief truly was.

She had been thirteen the day she overheard it.

A merchant from Jerusalem had come through Aleppo, trading linen and dates. Ysolde was sent to fetch bandages from the man's caravan. She lingered at the edge of the firelight, listening to voices not meant for her.

They spoke of a young king. A boy.

Baldwin, son of Amalric. Crowned too young. Too sick.

"Leprosy," one of the merchants whispered.

Ysolde had dropped the jar in her hands. It shattered at her feet, unnoticed.

She had run, fast and far, until she reached the dark grove outside the infirmary. She vomited behind an oak tree and cried for the first time since her mother's voice vanished in the riots.

Not because he was king.

Because he was Baldwin.

Her friend. The boy who threw figs at her. The one who wrapped her elbow in silk when she fell and called her "dangerous and brilliant" before he even knew what either meant.

And now he was dying.

She hadn't even said goodbye.

That night, she made a vow she never spoke aloud: I will not let him be alone.

Not as long as she had breath. Not as long as her hands could hold a scalpel.

Years passed.

She earned names—Amira, the White Physician, the Lady of the Iron Needle.

But none of those names meant anything the moment she stood before Baldwin again, veiled and seated on his throne, his eyes just the same. Searching. Bright. Burdened.

He didn't know her.

But she had known him from the first breath.

She had not returned to burden him. She had no fantasies of romance, no delusions of reclaiming their childhood. That time was dead and buried with the city they once knew.

But she could give him dignity. Relief. A measure of peace, if not a cure.

That would be enough.

Tonight, she sat beside him, watching his fingers twitch in his sleep.

His hand had changed. Twisted. Scarred. But it was still his.

She remembered when it had held a feathered hawk. When it had tugged a branch low so she could steal a fig. When it had reached for hers and whispered, "You'll never fall if I'm here."

She had fallen anyway. They both had.

And now she was here. Not to ask for the past back.

But to honor it.

To stand beside him, as she once promised—quietly, steadily, until the end.

[chicken-blitz13]

Charles-Philippe Larivière's Baldwin IV

I absolutely ADORE the painting depicting the battle of Montgisard that I HAD TO DRAW BALDWIN THERE

This painting WOO beautiful! I love LOVE the dramatics on this one.

THE COLORS, THE POSES AND THE SENSE OF URGENCY AND CHAOS FELT THAT REALLY CAPTURES THE BATTLE AHHHH Arches are readying their bows, Smoke coming from nearby villages that've been sacked and Saladin's army struggling to calm their horses as they're being overrun by crusaders! Such an iconic painting!

Baldwin is paler than the rest, making him standout along with the litter he's on that really adds to how unique it is compared to other paintings of kings

You can kinda imagine what he's saying. like praying to God, Saints, and Angels as he looks at the heavens for guidance thinking that he could possibly die or lose the battle!

Overall 10/10. I wish his helmet was in KoH though

[anielly-2010]

Baldwin iv x mermaid reader

I've had this idea in my head for a while and ended up creating a kind of prologue to this story. Any spelling mistakes please forgive me, I used a translator to leave it in English as that is not my language.

Mermaids. Monsters who use their sweet voices to enchant and bewitch men. That's what people thought I was and that's why I was hunted all my life.

Because I was the last mermaid.

And ever since sailors discovered a way of not being affected by the sirens' singing about five years ago, the hunt for mermaids has turned into a veritable genocide.

Their sisters, in an act of desperation at seeing that many of their companions were being used as a mere pleasure to humans, having to use their precious voices to satisfy them, forced me to take a potion that would destroy my vocal cords. So that my most powerful song could no longer be used as a weapon by humans.

Today was my fifteenth birthday, but what did that matter when I was about to lose the life I had fought so hard for?

"We did it, we caught a mermaid!"

The sailors shouted and celebrated with joy as you struggled over the huge fishing net that had caught you.

"It's been five years since anyone managed to catch a mermaid"

"She must be the last of her kind"

"We're going to make a fortune from her!"

With every word the sailors said, your desperation grew. You didn't want to be captured, you didn't want to be killed to become exotic meat or a mere object for men. The only thing you wanted was freedom and the happiness of living a peaceful life, but now nothing could be done.

As soon as the boat reached the shore, you were forced to assume your human form, but your lavender hair and eyes that seemed to reflect a rainbow under the sun made it clear that you were a mermaid, causing countless disgusted looks to be directed at you.

The captain of the ship took you to the French king to sell you for an exorbitant price, but before he even arrived, it turned out that you were mute and couldn't use your songs to heal or captivate anyone. This led to you being sold for a price far below what he wanted.

"You worthless creature!"

The captain threw a glass bowl in your direction and, by reflex, you protected yourself as much as you could with your arms bound in chains.

"One of your few uses is to use your voice as pleasure for men and you can't even do that!"

Tears began to stream down your face. The reason was the humiliation she had suffered and the pain from the cuts on her arms. Luckily, it wasn't long before that horrible man sold you and left, but your troubles had only just begun.

You were locked in a cage and for weeks your routine was to make do with the little food and water you received. The king sometimes brought various people to admire you, but he soon lost interest in you.

Like a mermaid who couldn't sing, you were of little use to him, but then the king received some news.

The King of Jerusalem, Baldwin IV, had won a very important battle at Montgisard. He, a boy of only 16, led the outnumbered Christian forces against Saladin's troops and won the battle.

The King of France decided to give you as a present to this young man, so once again you were chained up in the hold of a ship, where for months your only consolation was to listen to the waves of the sea.

After the exhausting journey, you finally arrived in Jerusalem.

The drier air was hot and made you feel constantly dehydrated, and the language the people there spoke was different from what you knew.

A deep hatred took over your body, and then you met it.

"Are you all right?"

It was the first thing he asked you and even though he knew you wouldn't be able to answer, he hoped to discover your answer just by looking at you. And even when he received only a perplexed look from you, he treated you with tenderness, wrapping you in his own cloak and asking his trusted servants to look after you.

'Why does he treat me so tenderly?'

This question kept running through her mind.

And as time went by, feelings began to blossom in both of you. Small acts became actions of love and the love that existed between the two of us was so great that nothing could stop you from being together.

Not even Baldwin's leprosy, the greed of Guy de Lusignan and Reinaldo de Châtillon or Saladin's army could separate you.

'I'm going to get my voice back, cure Baldwin with the siren's song of healing and help him defeat every enemy that comes along'

That was his thought, that was his determination.

[wulfhalls]

happy 847th battle of montgisard anniversary to all those who celebrate <3 imagine being 16 dying of leprosy and fighting outnumbered against THEEE saladin and still coming out on top. well my good friend baldwin iv doesn't have to

[crusera]

Baldwin IV. (1161 - 1185) was the king of Jerusalem (1174-85), called the "leper king" for the disease that afflicted him for most of his short life. His reign saw the growth of factionalism among the Latin nobility that weakened the kingdom during the years when its greatest adversary, the Muslim leader Saladin, extended his influence from Egypt to Syria.

Leprosy had made the young ruler the "half-dead king" of Jerusalem.

The young, leprous king was able to repel Saladin's invasion of the kingdom from Egypt in 1177 at the Battle of Montgisard, despite being significantly outnumbered.

"He mustered all his courage and went into battle against Saladin." The great historian William of Tyre, who had been the king's tutor, wrote in justification: "He believed that it was wiser to accept the uncertain fate of a battle against the enemy than to accept that his people would suffer robbery, fire and massacres."

[nebbyy]

QUICK MESSAGE

For all the people who sent me fic/headcanons requests, they're being written don't worry! It's taking me much, much longer than expected because of some school issues I've been having, but they're on their way to get posted!

Hopefully they'll be almost all out before june, but I won't make promises.

Just so that you know that your requests haven't been forgotten, here's a list of all requested Baldwin IV fics that I'm working on rn:

Reader sneaks into the battle of Montgisard to reunite with her husband

Reversed "sweetest of melodies" where Baldwin is the one singing

Labor and birth headcanons

Reader giving birth to triplets (will probably be a part 1 for the other following two)

Baldwin has to keep distance from his newborn children

Baldwin and reader spending time with their children

Baldwin falls in love with the bandit that kidnapped him

Baldwin comforting reader after a nightmare

General headcanons

Only case in which Baldwin would lash out at reader

Reader who loves math

Baldwin falling in love with a servant

These should be all, I really wanted to make this post to reassure those who have asked for these fics almost weeks ago, please bare with me I'm trying to write as quickly as possible without lowering the quality of my writing😭😭

[aurianavaloria]

I have read some articles that refer to or show Balwin as somewhat sadistic, for example in one I read that he used to go on excursions and burn, rob and kill Saracen villages and he shows us as a ruthless and arrogant guy. Have you read anything about that? What do you think about it? Do you think it's false?

Admittedly, even though I have collected quite a few resources on the historical Baldwin IV over recent months, I haven't had the chance to pore over them in detail.

However, from what little I have read, I do know that, after Baldwin refused to renew Raymond III of Tripoli's truce with Saladin and decided to resume Amalric's efforts to curb Saladin's growing power, back-and-forth raiding on both sides was rather frequent. And though we would condemn such behavior today, in medieval warfare, it's par for the course. Part of the strategy behind doing such things was not only to obtain valuable (and sometimes scarce) resources, but also to damage the opposing side's economy to make their efforts more difficult. Saladin sacked and looted farms and villages on his way to Jerusalem before the Battle of Montgisard; likewise, Baldwin engaged in raids during the tug-of-war over Jacob's Ford - all of which was likely exacerbated by the problems with famine at the time. Unlike Ridley Scott's depiction in KoH, these battles and raids back and forth across the borders of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and Syria were broken only by very short truces that seem to have revolved around resource availability and temporary interests elsewhere.

Does this make Baldwin "sadistic"? By the standards of his day, no. Any other monarch of the period would have likely made the same choices with an enemy force on their doorstep and whilst in a semi-permanent state of war. Further, we don't really have any insights into Baldwin's reasoning for his decisions because we aren't privy to his personal thoughts on the matter. On top of that, what little first-hand accounts we have all possess their own biases, which was also common - those on the side who performed such raids would see them as clever/advantageous, and those on the side being raided would see them as abominable.

It is interesting to note that, during one of these later defense-testing missions at Darayya, Baldwin apparently threatened the great mosque there, but when the Christians local to the area protested for fear of retaliatory harm to their churches, he promptly abandoned the idea and left.

[httpsoftbunni]

The Battles of Baldwin IV: A Warrior King

A Series

The Battle of Montgisard (1177)

Baldwin IV’s reign as King of Jerusalem was marked by constant warfare, both against external enemies and the physical toll of his own disease. While his body weakened, his mind remained sharp, and he proved himself to be an extraordinary military strategist and warrior. Despite the debilitating effects of leprosy, Baldwin led his armies in battle with an unwavering determination, achieving remarkable victories that have earned him a place in history as one of the greatest warrior kings of the medieval period.

One of Baldwin IV’s most famous victories came early in his reign during the Battle of Montgisard in 1177. At the time, Saladin, the Sultan of Egypt and Syria, was making significant strides in his campaign to recapture Jerusalem from the Crusaders. Saladin had gathered a massive army, reportedly over 26,000 strong, and was heading toward the heart of the Crusader Kingdom.

Baldwin, with a much smaller force of around 375 knights and 1,500 infantry, confronted Saladin near the town of Montgisard. Despite the overwhelming odds, Baldwin’s army launched a devastating surprise attack, leading to a decisive victory. Baldwin’s leadership during the battle was extraordinary, as he personally led his troops into battle, despite the physical limitations of his disease. The Crusaders’ victory at Montgisard slowed Saladin’s progress and gave Baldwin a brief but significant moment of triumph, which solidified his reputation as a capable and fearless leader.

The Struggles of War and Illness

While Baldwin was celebrated for his military prowess, his leprosy continued to deteriorate his health, making it increasingly difficult for him to participate in the day-to-day management of his kingdom. His ability to lead on the battlefield was at times hindered by the debilitating effects of the disease, which caused him to lose feeling in his limbs and suffer from frequent episodes of pain and weakness.

Despite these challenges, Baldwin continued to lead his forces in key battles, delegating some of his responsibilities to trusted regents and commanders when necessary. He was able to rally his knights and inspire them with his own example of resilience and courage. Baldwin’s ability to remain a symbol of strength in the face of such adversity played a significant role in maintaining the morale of his kingdom’s soldiers.

The Battle of Belvoir Castle (1179)

In 1179, Baldwin IV faced another crucial military challenge against Saladin’s forces, this time near Belvoir Castle in the Jordan Valley. Saladin’s forces had laid siege to the castle, and Baldwin once again demonstrated his strategic brilliance. Baldwin's forces, though vastly outnumbered, managed to hold their ground and prevent Saladin from capturing the castle. This victory was another testament to Baldwin’s leadership and military acumen, despite his worsening health.

The battle was not just about military might—it was about preserving the morale and fortifications of the Crusader Kingdom. Belvoir Castle, strategically located, was essential for the defense of Jerusalem, and Baldwin’s victory ensured that the castle remained in Crusader hands for the time being. His ability to defend such key positions helped delay Saladin’s advances, giving Baldwin precious time to prepare for future conflicts.

The Battle for Jerusalem’s Survival

As Baldwin’s health continued to decline, the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem was increasingly vulnerable to Saladin’s forces. Baldwin’s leprosy had robbed him of much of his strength by the early 1180s, and he had to rely more heavily on his regents, including his sister Sibylla and her second husband Guy of Lusignan, to govern. However, Baldwin’s military leadership remained an essential part of the kingdom’s defense.

In 1183, Baldwin IV faced one of his most difficult challenges yet when Saladin launched a full-scale assault on the Kingdom. While Baldwin was no longer physically able to lead his troops in battle, his strategic guidance and the loyalty he inspired in his knights ensured that the kingdom would continue to hold out for several more years. Baldwin’s final military campaign was focused on preventing Saladin from capturing Jerusalem, but his worsening illness made it increasingly difficult to continue leading the Crusader forces.

Baldwin IV’s military legacy is one of remarkable perseverance and tactical brilliance. Despite the crippling effects of leprosy, he consistently proved himself a formidable leader on the battlefield. His victories, including the Battle of Montgisard and the defense of Belvoir Castle, ensured that the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem endured against one of the most powerful military leaders of the medieval period, Saladin. In the following posts, we will explore Baldwin IV’s struggles with his regency and the challenges his kingdom faced in the final years of his reign.

[incorrect-koh-posts]

Other than leper king and his heirs which book would you recommend for research on Baldwin iv of Jerusalem?

All right then, buckle up for some nerdery! 😁

I will preface this by saying that I am not a total expert on Baldwin and haven't done a colossal amount of research specifically on him. I could chew your ear off prattling on about the general world of the crusader kingdoms, their politics, and about Raymond III of Tripoli and Sibylla of Jerusalem in particular, but Baldwin isn't my main interest here. Also, as far as I know, Hamilton's study is the only longer academic work centred solely around Baldwin. Hence, in order to learn more about your fav and the world he lived in, I'd recommend reading a little more broadly. Being a king, he is featured (at least in some capacity) in most publications that deal with the Latin kingdoms in the latter half of the 12th century.

That said, have a list:

Piers D. Mitchell: "Leprosy and the Case of King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem: Microbacterial Disease in the Crusader States of the 12th and 13th Centuries", International Journal of Leprosy, vol. 61, no. 2, 1993, pp. 283-91. Pretty self-explanatory. You can find this article on the internet; Mitchell also has a few other publications that deal with medicine in the crusader states, so you might find some additional Baldwin stuff there as well.

Elma Brenner: "Recent Perspectives on Leprosy in Medieval Western Europe", History Compass, vol. 8, no. 5, 2010, pp. 388-406. Has a little bit on Baldwin, might be useful if you want to find out more about how the disease was regarded by his contemporaries.

Helen J. Nicholson: Sybil, Queen of Jerusalem, 1186-1190. Routledge, 2022. This is a really good and really recent one that I was lucky enough to find in my uni library. Of course Sibylla-centred, but gives a good overview of the politics in Outremer and of course has passages about Baldwin in it. Also look into some of Nicholson's other publications if you're interested in the role of women in the context of crusading.

Kevin James Lewis: The Counts of Tripoli and Lebanon in the Twelfth Century: Sons of Saint Gilles. Routledge, 2017. Obviously mostly a Raymond-centric source, but it is also relatively recent and has a good chunk on Baldwin in the chapter where Lewis talks about Raymond's time as Baldwin's regent.

Joshua Prawer: Crusader Institutions. Oxford University Press, 1980. More politics to be found here, but very well put together. Prawer was an extremely prolific scholar where the history of the Latin East and the crusades was concerned, so - once again: if you're interested, look up his other works.

Jonathan Riley-Smith: The Oxford Illustrated History of the Crusades, Oxford University Press, 1997. Good overview that goes into detail about the mentality among crusaders and aspects of daily life. Again, Riley-Smith is one of the authorities in the field, so looking into his bibliography might be worth a shot.

If you're into military history, the works of Benjamin Z. Kedar, John France - or, if you want something more dated, R.C. Smail - might be of interest to you. They mostly cover general points of Frankish and Muslim warfare or the Battle of Hattin in particular (other than in Hamilton or in some of the primary sources from the crusader period, I've never come across an article on the Battle of Montgisard), but might be helpful if you want to get a feel for what life was like at the time.

Hans-Eberhard Mayer is also definitely worth a look as a scholar, even though his works are a bit older now. However, I'm not sure how much of his stuff you can find in translation - I've only read him in German.

For the physical setting of crusader-period Jerusalem and the material culture, I very heartily recommend two works written or edited by Adrian J. Boas: Jerusalem in the Time of the Crusades: Society, Landscape and Art in the Holy City under Frankish Rule (Routledge, 2001) and The Crusader World (Routledge, 2016). I consult both of these frequently for world-building in my fic writing.

If you want something on the general concept of the knight / chivalry, Maurice Keen's Chivalry (Yale University Press, 2005) might be a good start. For a detailed analysis of medieval courtly culture, I recommend Joachim Bumke's Courtly Culture: Literature and Society in the High Middle Ages (2000, English translation by Thomas Dunlap). That thing was invaluable when I was writing my BA thesis. And if you'd like to know more about the literary life of the crusaders, there is a recent publication called Literature of the Crusades (Cambridge University Press, 2019) edited by Simon Parsons and Linda M. Paterson that I also found rather good.

For fashion: The various Osprey Military History books are a good choice if you want visual representations of knightly dress. There's also a collection of essays called Encountering Medieval Textiles and Dress: Objects, Texts, Images (Palgrave Macmillan, 2002) edited by Désirée Koslin and Janet Snyder, which is one of the better ones I've found, as most books about medieval fashion focus mostly on later centuries. This one might be a bit hard to get through, though, if you don't have some kind of background knowledge about medieval texts or architecture.

If you want something less strictly academic and more in the vein of popular history, you might want to try James Reston's Warriors of God (2002) or the much more dated but rather fanboy-ish The Crusades: A History (also sometimes titled The Dream and The Tomb) by Robert Payne, which is very pro-Baldwin.

Other than that, I'll link you an older post about fictional depictions of Baldwin and other assorted good bois and girls from KoH. I hope this will scratch the Baldwin itch for you!

And: If anyone has more suggestions, of course do feel free to add them!

[kleinergeist]

The 1177 Battle of Montgisard is perhaps one of history's earliest and greatest examples of Hydrogen Bomb vs Coughing Baby