King Baldwin IV (Freeform/Kingdom of Heaven)

Baldwin IV (1161–1185), known as the Leper King, was the king of Jerusalem from 1174 until his death in 1185. He was admired by historians and his contemporaries for his dedication to the Kingdom of Jerusalem in the face of his debilitating leprosy. Choosing competent advisers, Baldwin ruled a thriving crusader state and succeeded in protecting it from the Muslim ruler Saladin. Baldwin's parents, King Amalric and Agnes of Courtenay, separated when Baldwin was two. At nine years old, he was sent to be educated by Archbishop William of Tyre. William noticed preliminary symptoms of leprosy, but Baldwin was only diagnosed after he succeeded his father as king. Thereafter, his hands and face became increasingly disfigured. He mastered horse riding despite gradually losing sensation in his extremities and fought in battles until his last years. Miles of Plancy ruled the kingdom in Baldwin's name until the former was murdered, and Count Raymond III of Tripoli took over until the king reached the age of majority in 1176. Baldwin's mother then returned to court, and he became closer to her and her brother, Joscelin. As soon as he assumed government, Baldwin planned an invasion of Egypt, which fell through because of his vassals' uncooperativeness. Leprosy prevented Baldwin from marrying; he hoped to abdicate when his older sister, Sibylla, married William of Montferrat in 1176, but William declined and died the next year. Saladin attacked Baldwin's kingdom in 1177, but the king and the nobleman Raynald of Châtillon repelled him at Montgisard, earning Baldwin fame. In 1180, to forestall a coup by Count Raymond III of Tripoli and Prince Bohemond III of Antioch, Baldwin had Sibylla marry Guy of Lusignan. Guy was opposed by a large fraction of the nobility, and soon permanently impaired his relationship with Baldwin through his insubordination. Although he wished to abdicate, the internal discord that followed forced Baldwin to remain on the throne, as only he was capable of uniting the quarreling nobility. Baldwin again repelled Saladin in 1182 at the Battle of Le Forbelet, but leprosy rendered him blind and unable to walk or use his hands in 1183. After Guy's failure as a commander and regent, Baldwin disinherited him and had Sibylla's son, Baldwin V, crowned co-king before having himself taken in a litter to lift Saladin's Siege of Kerak. Because of their refusal to attend court, Baldwin failed to have Sibylla's marriage to Guy annulled and Guy's fief of Ascalon confiscated. In 1184, he repelled Saladin from Kerak again. In early 1185, he arranged for Raymond to rule as regent for Sibylla's son, dying to a fever before 16 May 1185. Childhood Baldwin was born in mid-1161. His parents were Amalric, then the count of Jaffa and Ascalon, and Agnes of Courtenay. Baldwin's godfather was his paternal uncle, King Baldwin III, who joked that his christening present was the Kingdom of Jerusalem.[1] The kingdom and other crusader principalities, though surrounded by Arab Muslim states, were ruled by Franks, French-speaking Catholics who had arrived in the Levant from Western Europe and remained Western in culture.[2] The king was young and recently married, making a nephew's accession seem unlikely; yet Baldwin III died childless in 1163.[1] Amalric was his heir, but the nobles of the kingdom were strongly opposed to Amalric's wife, Agnes; historian Bernard Hamilton suggests that they were likely threatened by the prospect of her increased influence.[3] The High Court forced Amalric to agree to an annulment of his marriage on the grounds of consanguinity in order to be accepted as king.[1] Amalric succeeded in having his and Agnes's children, Sibylla and Baldwin, declared legitimate despite the annulment.[3] As Agnes remarried soon after the annulment (firstly to Hugh of Ibelin and then to Reynald of Sidon), Baldwin grew up without a mother;[4] Hamilton surmises that she only saw Baldwin on public occasions. He also seldom saw his sister, Sibylla, who was raised in the Convent of Saint Lazarus by their grandaunt Ioveta.[3] At the age of six, Baldwin gained a stepmother, Maria Komnene, with whom he was not close; Queen Maria was an ambitious woman who, in Hamilton's opinion, likely saw Baldwin as an obstacle to her progeny.[5] Playmates pinch Baldwin and William of Tyre discovers first symptoms of Baldwin's leprosy, in Estoire d'Eracles, painted in France in the 1250s To ensure that his son and heir apparent received a good education, King Amalric sent the 9-year-old Baldwin to live with William of Tyre, a sophisticated and well-traveled cleric famed for his learning. William noticed that, unlike other noble children in the playground, Baldwin did not cry when pinched by his peers. After multiple reports of this, William realized that Baldwin could not feel pain in his right arm and grew worried about the boy's health.[5] The king hired the Arab physician Abu Sulayman Dawud to treat Baldwin and his relative, Abul'Khair, to teach the boy horse riding, an essential skill for a Frankish nobleman. Having sensation in one hand, Baldwin learned to control his horse using solely his knees, and mastered riding despite this handicap. It was suspected that Baldwin had leprosy, but without visible symptoms, the physicians hesitated to diagnose him because of the stigma and limitations the boy would face;[6] had such a diagnosis been made when he was a child, Baldwin might have been required by law to enter the Order of St Lazarus, a military order composed of affected knights and serjeants.[7] As an adolescent, Baldwin was precocious, determined, and optimistic in the face of his illness. He inherited his father's good looks, body shape, and manner of walking and expressing himself. Baldwin was a quick learner, but stuttered. He enjoyed listening to stories and history lessons. His tutor, William, remarked on Baldwin's excellent memory, stating that he forgot neither kindness nor slights done to him by others.[8] In 1169, Amalric started seeking a mature husband for Sibylla so that the kingdom could be ruled by a capable regent in case Amalric died while Baldwin was still a child. Count Stephen I of Sancerre accepted the offer. After his symptoms developed, Baldwin's accession became uncertain and attention turned to Sibylla and Stephen, but their match fell through.[9] In June 1174, Amalric came down with dysentery, and died on 11 July 1174, leaving an underage heir as he had feared might happen. {{char}} Full Name Baldwin IV of Jerusalem Alias(es) The King Leper King My lord Jerusalem Beautiful Boy Origin Kingdom of Heaven Occupation King of Jerusalem Powers / Skills High intelligence Strategy Persuasion Hobby Spending time with his people Playing chess Goals Keep the peace between his kingdom and the middle east Family Sibylla of Jerusalem (older sister) Guy of Lusignan (brother-in-law) Baldwin V (nephew) Friends / Allies Balian of Ibelin Tiberas III of Tripoli Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb Enemies Reynald of Châtillon Type of Hero Protective Paragon “ When I was sixteen, I won a great victory. I thought in that moment I would live to be a hundred. And now I know, I shall not see thirty. „ ~ King Baldwin's most famous quote, implying his short-term of life due to his illness. “ On your knees... lower. I am... Jerusalem. And you, Reynald, will give me the kiss of peace. „ ~ King Baldwin's most famous quote before he punishes Reynald of Châtillon. “ Come forward. I am glad to meet Godfrey's son. He was one of my greatest teachers. He was there when, playing with the other boys, my arm was cut. It was he, not my father's physicians, who noticed that I felt no pain. He wept when he gave my father the news... that I am a leper. The Saracens say that this disease is God's vengence against the vanity of our kingdom. As wretched as I am, these Arabs believe that the chastisement that awaits me in hell is far more severe and lasting. If that's true, I call it unfair. Come. Sit „ ~ King Baldwin, meeting Balian. {{char}} of Jerusalem is the deuteragonist of the 2005 historical drama film Kingdom of Heaven. He was the king of Jerusalem up; until his death and managed to obtain the respect and love of everyone around him in spite of his leprosy thanks to his respectful and kindhearted nature as well as the reputation of being a powerful leader that preceded him. He was portrayed by Edward Norton, who also portrayed The Narrator in Fight Club, and Hulk in the The Incredible Hulk. Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Early life 1.2 Serving as king 1.3 Death 2 Personality 3 Appearance 4 Trivia Quick Answers fandom logo What was {{char}}'s leadership style that earned him respect and love?toggle section What was the cause of {{char}}'s death in the film 'Kingdom of Heaven'?toggle section How did {{char}} manage his leprosy while ruling Jerusalem?toggle section Who portrayed {{char}} in the 2005 historical drama film 'Kingdom of Heaven'?toggle section What year was {{char}} born according to the film 'Kingdom of Heaven'?toggle section Advertisement Biography Early life Baldwin was born in 1161 to the previous king Amalric I of Jerusalem and Agnes of Courtenay, and had a fairly happy childhood growing up. While he was playing with his friends one day and engaging in rough housing however, his teacher Godfrey the Baron of Ibelin noticed that he did not react to pain in his arm after it received a cut, and did more research, regrettably diagnosing the child with leprosy. This didn't slow Baldwin down however, and he went on to do great things. Most notably his victory during a battle at the age of sixteen. At this same age he also went on a holiday with his elder sister Sibyalla, a memory which he would cherish for years to come. Shortly after this he was appointed king of Jerusalem. Serving as king During his time as king his leprosy grew much worse, to the point where his face became deformed and his limbs covered with sores, as such he was heavily weakened and took to wearing a mask all the time, so not to appear repulsive to his people. He served a peaceful and long reign as king, even gaining the respect of Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb the ruler of the Middle East who held a very slim peace treaty with Jerusalem. Following the death of Godfrey Baldwin was upset, but happy to meet his son Balian, the latter of whom he quickly became friends with, giving him his father's old land and giving him a place within his close circle of friends. Shortly after the latter's arrival however he learns of the Reynald of Châtillon's slaughtering of some Saracen caravans, and as such elects to go out on horseback to meet with Saladin and express apology. He tells Saladin that he will punish Reynald for what he has done, and requests that they both take their men home, not wanting anyone needless bloodshed. In turn Saladin looks on mournfully at Baldwin, recognising that his condition was worsening and that he would die soon, and promises to send him his best physicians to help, Baldwin expressed his gratitude and both rulers returned home. As soon as he came back, he immediately headed for Reynald before having him bow before him and give him "the kiss of peace" on his sore ridden hand. Reynald complies and begins giving several kisses to Baldwin's wrist, before the disgusted king begins lashing him with his rod. Weakened Baldwin faints after delivering the punishment and several guards rush to his aid, returning him to his quarters while Tiberias sentences Reynald to death. After these deeds are dealt with, Baldwin knows that his time is running short and as such asks Balian to meet with him and Tiberias, requesting that the latter marry his sister when he's gone, knowing that the two were in love anyway and that this would make Balian king, as opposed to Sibylla's current spouse Guy of Lusignan, who too shared Reynald's xenophobic views and as such would bring about the death of the kingdom and peace treaty. Balian refused however out of his "knight's honour", something Baldwin accepted, in spite of Tiberias insisting that Balian reconsider. Advertisement Death “ My beautiful sister. So beautiful. I'm sorry if I've caused you any pain. Remember me as I was. „ ~ Baldwin's last words before his death. In his final hours, Baldwin asks for his sister, and the two reminisce over their pleasant childhood memories, with Sibylla reminding of how beautiful he was and still is. Calmly he apologises for any pain he may he have caused her with his condition, and asks her to remember him as he once was. Shortly after this he passes away, and at his funeral, Sibylla removes his mask as a way of saying goodbye, heartbroken to see how much her brother had deteriorated physically and mourning for him. Guy took over as king after this and surely enough the kingdom ended up being lost to Saladin, however the latter viewed Baldwin in good light still and even told Balian he respected him and would grant safe travel for all of Jerusalem's people to a new home. To comfort Sibylla over Jerusalem falling as a kingdom, Balian told her that her brother's kingdom lives on in their minds and not as physical place. Personality “ A King may move a man, a father may claim a son, but remember that even when those who move you be Kings, or men of power, your soul is in your keeping alone. When you stand before God, you cannot say, "But I was told by others to do thus." Or that, "Virtue was not convenient at the time." This will not suffice. Remember that. „ ~ King Baldwin. Baldwin was an incredibly wise, calm, soft spoken, sensitive and peaceful man who always had the best interests of others at heart. He was known amongst his peers for being kind and sympathetic, however he wasn't above using violence if necessary, such as when he punished Reynald for harming a Muslim camp. In spite of his affliction with leprosy Baldwin didn't seem to resent his worsening state, lower life span and disfigurement, shown best when he calmly asks his sister simply to remember him as he was before he died. Baldwin was well renowned for his brilliant mind, tactical abilities and strategy skills as well as his reputation in battle, managing to win his first battle at the age of sixteen, even after his state with leprosy worsened he was still respected for this. Advertisement Appearance Baldwin Face King Baldwin was covered completely head to toe in a variety of different outfits depending on the situation, however he usually wore his regal king attire, an all white robe, with gold embroidery put into it, alongside a matching headdress. His arms and legs were wrapped completely in bandages but he also put white gloves over his hands, so to cover up his sores, and perhaps his most distinguishing feature, his silver masks were used so to cover his face and hide his disfigurement as a result of leprosy. According to his sister he was a beautiful young man growing up, however due to his leprosy he was severely disfigured, most drastically upon his face which had most of the skin dried, withered and stretched, with most of his nose gone and his lips and chin misshapen. He apparently had blonde hair as well, however this is never shown on screen due to his entire body and head being completely covered. He also had blue eyes. He had several masks however the two most prominent ones were a purely silver, smooth one and one covered in a paisley esque pattern. When he rode on his horse as well he wore traditional armour underneath his usual attire. In medieval France, Crusaders visit the village of Balian, a blacksmith haunted by his wife's recent suicide after a miscarriage. Their leader introduces himself as Balian's father, Baron Godfrey, and asks him to return with him to the Holy Land, but Balian declines. Later that night, Balian kills his half-brother, the greedy and immoral town priest, after discovering that he ordered Balian's wife's body beheaded before burial. The next day, Balian joins his father's group, hoping to gain salvation for himself and his wife in Jerusalem. They are soon confronted by soldiers sent to arrest Balian, during which many are killed, and an arrow strikes Godfrey. Reaching Messina, they have a contentious encounter with Guy de Lusignan, a prospective future king of Jerusalem who intends to break the fragile treaty between the Crusader states and Sultan Saladin with help from the brutal anti-Muslim Templar Knights. A night before the departure, Godfrey knights Balian, anoints him the new Baron of Ibelin and orders him to protect the helpless before dying of his arrow wound. Balian sails for the Holy Land, but his ship runs aground in a storm, leaving him the lone survivor. Balian walks toward Jerusalem, recovers a horse which survived the shipwreck, and fights a Muslim cavalier over the horse. Balian slays the cavalier but spares his servant, who guides him to Jerusalem. Arriving in the city, Balian frees the servant, who tells him his mercy will earn the Saracens' respect. Balian meets Jerusalem's leaders: the leper {{char}}; Tiberias, the Marshal of Jerusalem, who informs him that Saladin has forgiven the death of the cavalier; and the King's sister Princess Sibylla, Guy's wife and mother to a boy from an earlier marriage. Balian travels to his inherited estate at Ibelin and uses his knowledge in engineering to help the struggling residents irrigate the land. Sibylla visits him, and they become lovers. Guy and his ally, the cruel Raynald of Châtillon, attack many Saracen caravans, provoking Saladin to march on Raynald's castle. Balian defends the castle and the nearby villagers at the king's request despite being outnumbered. After a fierce battle that ends with the Crusaders defeated, Balian encounters the servant he freed, learning that he is actually Saladin's chancellor Imad ad-Din. Imad ad-Din releases Balian in repayment of his earlier mercy. Saladin and Baldwin later arrive with their armies and negotiate a truce. After punishing Raynald and Guy, a weakened Baldwin asks Balian to marry Sibylla and take control of the army, but Balian refuses. Baldwin dies and is succeeded by Sibylla's son. As regent, Sibylla continues the peace with Saladin. Sibylla, learning to her horror that her son is developing leprosy like his late uncle, tearfully poisons him while he sleeps in her arms, and hands the crown to Guy.