Baldwin I (1060, 1100-1118)
At the start of his reign, the Kingdom consisted of Jerusalem and a handful of fortresses. By his death, Baldwin I ruled over one of the most formidable powers in the region.
Baldwin of Boulogne trained early in life for the church, but he preferred the life of a knight. Following his brother Godfrey of Bouillon on the First Crusade, he came to the throne of Jerusalem in 1100. Immediately Baldwin set about expanding the Kingdom. He defeated the Fatimids in battle in 1101 and 1105, and conquered the wealthy coastal ports one after another: Caesarea in 1101, Acre in 1104, Tripoli in 1109, Beirut and Sidon in 1110. He also expanded the Kingdom southeast, striking out toward the Red Sea and building the castle of Montreal in 1115.
Baldwin I established a strong monarchy from the start, ensuring that the Kingdom would have the military strength necessary to survive surrounded by hostile Saracen principalities. Baldwin also cultivated a bond with the native Eastern Christians, settling large numbers of them within his Kingdom and protecting their right to practice their traditional liturgies. Baldwin I transformed a tiny military outpost into a substantial regional power. His reign laid the groundwork for the Kingdom’s future. The chronicler Fulcher of Chartres called Baldwin I “another Joshua….the right arm of his people and the terror of his enemies.”
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