Melisende and Fulk, Part 2

After a rocky start to their life as King and Queen of Jerusalem, Fulk of Anjou and Melisende started to work together.

Melisende was particularly angry, however, at Rohard the Elder, a one-time retainer of her cousin Hugh of Jaffa who abandoned Hugh when Hugh rebelled against Fulk and who (Melisende believed) was instrumental in helping Fulk against Hugh. Rohard (and others) who had supported Fulk against Hugh's rebellion were careful to stay out of the queen's sight. It took mediation and time to get Melisende to forgive those allied with Fulk, and to forgive Fulk himself.

William of Tyre wrote that, once king and queen were reconciled, Fulk "did not attempt to take the initiative, even in trivial matters, without her knowledge." Any charters issued from the throne in Jerusalem were done with Melisende's consent from then on.

Fulk may be responsible for the Melisende Psalter (see Christ flanked by Mary and John the Baptist above), created c. 1135 and believed to have been commissioned by Fulk himself as a gift to placate her. The reason we believe it was specifically made for her is because the calendar inside it contains only two dates of a personal nature: the deaths of Baldwin II and Morphia, Melisende's parents. Also, the psalter contains a blend of Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox elements, in a nod to her upbringing: her father was catholic and her Armenian mother was Greek Orthodox.

Another sign of Fulk and Melisende's reconciliation is that they conceived another child in 1136, a son named Amalric.

Melisende tried to arrange careers for her sisters. Alice had lost her regency in Antioch when Raymond of Poitiers married her daughter Constance (only eight years old). Alice managed to live as a princess of Latakia until her death in 1150. Sister Hodierna married Raymond II of Tripoli. Ioveta was made abbess of an abbey founded for her by Melisende. Was it a kind gesture because Ioveta wanted to live a monastic life, or a calculated move to keep Ioveta or any future children away from a potential claim to the throne?

Speaking of religion, Fulk and Melisende had a lot of interaction with the Church in their territory, which I'll talk about tomorrow.

Louis and the Second Crusade, Part 2

The decision of Eleanor of Aquitaine to accompany her husband, King Louis VII of France, on the Second Crusade might have been made thinking it would be a lovely journey, but the perils of travel in the 12th century were magnified by the dangers of heading into enemy territory. And then there were problems of their own making.

Eleanor and her female retinue traveled separately from Louis and the main part of the army. Louis had taken a vow of chastity for the duration of the Crusade, and did not want to be tempted by the proximity of his young wife. In January of 1148, Louis sent a part of the army with Eleanor to go ahead and establish a camp at a certain spot, while he and the bulk of the army made their way to it. Arriving at the king's choice, Eleanor decided she did not like it, and persuaded or ordered the leaders to move to a place more suitable.

When the king and the main army arrived, they found nothing prepared, and in the growing darkness could not find the new location. The army was now divided, and an easier target for the Turks whose land they were traversing. The main force was attacked. Louis survived, although his horse was killed while he was riding it. In all, 7000 Crusaders were killed. Eleanor was blamed for the slaughter.

The remainder of the army went to the coast, looking for ships to continue to the Holy Land. They ran out of supplies, and turned to the horses for food. They did not have money for enough ships to continue their quest. Illness swept through the camp.

Louis took Eleanor and his nobles and got on a ship bound for Antioch, abandoning the army. It was written that 3000 soldiers converted to Islam in order to save their lives.

Antioch at the time was ruled by Eleanor's uncle, Raymond of Poitiers. Raymond wanted Louis to stay in Antioch and help him in the conquest of Aleppo and Caesarea, but Louis (despite Eleanor's protests) would not take his eye off Jerusalem. Louis with his remaining men left Antioch abruptly, meeting up with Conrad III of Germany again. Along with King Baldwin III of Jerusalem, they lay siege to Damascus, which was an utter failure.

Eleanor pushed for a return to Antioch to help her uncle, but the Crusade was finished, and so Louis returned to France. Raymond of Poitiers died later that year. The relationship between Louis and Eleanor was strained. Perhaps if Eleanor had produced a male heir, Louis would have been content with letting her live in her own castle somewhere, but he needed a wife who would beget a son, and he was no longer looking at Eleanor as a path to that.

He needed to get rid of her. I'll explain how tomorrow.