Hugh's Rivals

When the title King of Jerusalem was up for grabs in 1268, there was more than one claimant. There had not been a king in situ for years because the title had been passed to children whose regents were involved elsewhere or to people who were kings elsewhere.

But there was a chance not to bring the king "home," as it were.

In recent years, a regency in Jerusalem was necessary because the rightful kings were either too young or too far away or both. Conrad III (called Conradin) and Hugh II of Cyprus needed regents.

Hugh of Brienne had claimed a role as regent in 1264 as the oldest relative of Alice of Jerusalem, one of the daughters of Queen Isabella I. The High Court, however, chose his cousin, Hugh of Antioch. Hugh abandoned the Holy Land and Eastern Mediterranean and went to Europe to seek fame in Italy.

Hugh of Antioch became Hugh III of Cyprus and Hugh I of Jerusalem. (The illustration is the coat of arms quartered to show the king of the two states.) All seemed settled, but another claim arose from an unexpected area.

The mother of Hugh of Brienne and aunt of Hugh I of Jerusalem, Maria of Antioch, claimed starting in 1268 that she should be on the throne of Jerusalem. She was 48 years old at the time, a granddaughter of Isabella I of Jerusalem through Melisende of Cyprus, and was one degree closer to Conradin than Hugh of Antioch.

Considering genealogy tables, she was right. She had the support of the Knights Templar. She demanded to be crowned by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, William of Agen.

She appeared before the High Court with her reasoning all laid out. Hugh of course brought military experience and the support of Cyprus to Jerusalem. Maria had nothing to offer except her status. (It is also believed by many that she did not want to have the title to rule so much as have it to sell to someone for money.) 

A remark from Hugh offended her such that she left the Court. The Court used her absence to reason that she was abandoning her claim and Hugh should be crowned. During the coronation at Tyre, Maria employed two people to run into the church, make a protest, and run out again.

She complained to Rome for years about the injustice, and was taken seriously. Pope Gregory X even started an investigation that found her claim to be true. Could they obtain justice for Maria? We'll find out tomorrow.