Growing Divisions: The Succession Crisis of 1185 (Edexcel A-Level History): Revision Notes
Growing Divisions: The Succession Crisis of 1185
Background: Political tensions intensify
By the early 1180s, the Kingdom of Jerusalem was deeply divided between two competing factions. One faction was led by Raymond III of Tripoli, while the other was headed by Agnes of Courtenay (mother of Baldwin IV and Sibyl). These divisions would weaken the kingdom at a critical moment in its history.
The two main factions represented fundamentally different visions for Jerusalem's leadership. Raymond III's faction sought to maintain the power of the established nobility, while Agnes of Courtenay's faction promoted her daughter Sibyl and son-in-law Guy of Lusignan as the future rulers.
Raymond III's attempt to control the succession (1180)
Raymond III was concerned that if Sibyl remarried, her new husband would reduce his own power and influence over the government. When Baldwin IV tried to arrange Sibyl's marriage to Duke Hugh III of Burgundy, Raymond decided to act first. In 1180, he and Bohemond III of Antioch launched an invasion of the kingdom. Their plan was to marry Sibyl to Balian of Ibelin, someone they could control and influence.
Baldwin IV moved quickly to prevent this. On his mother Agnes's advice, he encouraged Sibyl to marry Guy of Lusignan instead.
Guy of Lusignan: A controversial choice
Guy of Lusignan (c.1129-94) was a French nobleman whose brothers had invited him to Outremer. Agnes of Courtenay persuaded Sibyl to marry him in 1180. Despite later attempts by Baldwin IV and the nobility to make her divorce him, Sibyl remained loyal to Guy - the couple had four children together, suggesting genuine affection between them.
However, Guy would prove to be a divisive and ultimately unsuccessful leader.
Guy's failure as regent (1183)
The power struggle took another turn in 1183. When Saladin invaded and Baldwin IV fell ill with fever, Guy was appointed regent to lead the army in the king's place. This was a disaster. Guy struggled to get the nobles to obey his commands, and the army took no action against Saladin. While the army's presence prevented territorial losses, Saladin was free to plunder Galilee unopposed.
Guy's failure as regent in 1183 was a critical turning point. His inability to command the nobility's respect and take decisive military action demonstrated that he lacked the leadership qualities needed to rule Jerusalem. This failure would haunt him and deepen the factional divisions for years to come.
After this humiliating failure, Baldwin IV lost all faith in Guy's abilities and took back direct control of the kingdom. The animosity between the two factions had now intensified - both sides had experienced power and had it taken away.
The succession crisis begins (1183-1186)
Baldwin IV's failing health
By 1183, Baldwin IV's leprosy had become more severe and debilitating. His bouts of illness were more frequent and crippling. In November 1183, he made a crucial decision that would set the stage for a succession crisis: he had his infant nephew Baldwin V (Sibyl's son) crowned as co-ruler.
Baldwin IV hoped to retire to Tyre, but this plan collapsed because of his worsening relationship with Guy. When Baldwin tried to arrange a land exchange that would allow his retirement, Guy furiously refused to cooperate. He even denied Baldwin access to the port of Ascalon. The breach between them could not be repaired.
Raymond III returns to power (1185)
This situation was good news for Raymond III. His faction was once again in favour with the king. When Baldwin IV began to die in early 1185, Raymond III was appointed regent. He continued in this role after Baldwin IV's death in March 1185, now serving as regent for the child king Baldwin V.
Unfortunately for Raymond, Baldwin V's reign was very short. The boy king died in August 1186, triggering the final round of the succession dispute.
Three possible outcomes
After Baldwin V's death, Joscelin III of Courtenay somehow convinced Raymond to retreat to his territory of Tiberias. The two factions now prepared for a showdown. There were three possible ways to resolve the crisis:
The Three Options for Succession:
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Henry II of England could become regent until the succession was resolved. Baldwin IV had sent an embassy to Henry in 1184 with this proposal.
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Raymond III's faction could maintain power by crowning Isabel (Sibyl's half-sister) and her husband Humphrey of Toron.
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Sibyl and Guy could be crowned as rulers of Jerusalem, giving victory to Agnes's faction (though Agnes herself had died in 1185 and would not witness this outcome).
Sibyl's faction takes action
Sibyl's faction moved first. The barons of Jerusalem agreed to make Sibyl queen, but only on one condition: she must divorce Guy.
Sibyl appeared to accept these terms. She was crowned queen and then, in a clever political move, immediately chose Guy as her king. The nobles had been deceived and were furious. Even Reynald of Châtillon, who had abandoned his own stepson to support Sibyl, felt betrayed by this trick.
Sibyl's Strategic Three-Step Plan:
Step 1: Agree to divorce Guy (satisfying the nobles' condition)
Step 2: Get crowned as Queen of Jerusalem (securing the crown for herself)
Step 3: Immediately choose Guy as her king (using her royal authority to make him co-ruler)
This brilliant maneuver outfoxed the nobles who thought they had prevented Guy from gaining power. By the time they realized what had happened, it was too late to stop it.
Raymond's fall from power: Humphrey's crucial decision
At the same time as Sibyl and Guy's coronation, Raymond III's faction gathered at Nablus. They planned to crown Isabel and Humphrey as rival rulers. The kingdom appeared to be sliding toward civil war.
However, this was prevented by an unexpected development. Humphrey of Toron refused to accept the crown. When he heard that Guy had been crowned in Jerusalem, he rushed to the city and paid homage to Guy as the legitimate king.
Raymond III was furious. Humphrey's actions had destroyed any hope of crowning Isabel and Humphrey. Raymond's grip on power had been lost for the second time.
Humphrey of Toron's decision to refuse the crown and pay homage to Guy was the single action that prevented civil war in 1186. While it disappointed Raymond III's faction, it meant the kingdom would face Saladin's threat with at least one recognized ruler rather than two competing monarchs. However, the underlying divisions remained unresolved.
Effect of the divisions
Two more years of political infighting had exposed serious weaknesses in the government of Outremer:
A divided nobility
Even though Guy and Sibyl were now king and queen by the end of 1186, the two factions still existed. The nobility remained split and hostile. This meant that any coordinated response to the growing threat from Saladin would be extremely difficult to organise.
An inactive government
The government had been paralysed by the dispute between the factions. They had failed to:
- Disrupt Saladin's preparations for war
- Convince the West to send military support
- Maintain unity in the face of external threats
A cease in hostilities
Raymond III had made a truce with Saladin in 1185. While this seemed practical at the time (the kingdom was too divided for military action), it was an alliance that Saladin would later exploit to devastating effect during his 1187 invasion.
The significance of Raymond of Tripoli's truce with Saladin
The 1185 truce
Raymond III of Tripoli made a truce with Saladin in 1185 while he was still regent for Baldwin V. This was a logical decision at the time - the kingdom was so divided that it could not take any decisive military action against Saladin.
However, it was the very divisions that caused this truce that would also lead to its breakdown.
Reynald of Châtillon breaks the truce (late 1187)
Towards the end of 1187, Reynald of Châtillon launched a raid on a Muslim caravan. He stole its goods and imprisoned the traders and their military escort.
King Guy tried to salvage the truce with Saladin. He ordered Reynald to return what he had stolen. However, Reynald was still bitter about the succession dispute that had disadvantaged his stepson. He ignored Guy's orders and kept the stolen goods.
This gave Saladin the perfect excuse to resume hostilities. In March 1187, Saladin attacked Kerak and Montreal.
Reynald of Châtillon's raid was more than just a violation of the truce - it demonstrated the fundamental weakness of Guy's authority as king. When Reynald refused to obey a direct royal command, it showed that the factional divisions had created a situation where even the king could not control his own nobles. This breakdown of royal authority would have catastrophic consequences.
Raymond's controversial alliance with Saladin
Between 1186 and 1187, the situation became even more serious. Raymond asked Saladin for military help against Guy's forces. Raymond feared that Guy would attack him because he had refused to pay homage. In return for Saladin's support, Raymond allowed a Muslim force of around 7,000 men to journey through Galilee on their way to besiege Acre in May 1187.
This move made Raymond appear to be a traitor in the eyes of many.
Failed reconciliation (May 1187)
In May 1187, a force of around 130 knights with 300 supporting troops was sent to Tiberias. This force included the Masters of the Templars and Hospitallers - the leaders of the two great military orders. Their mission was to persuade Raymond to restore his relationship with King Guy and Queen Sibyl.
However, Saladin was already exploiting the internal divisions of the Crusader States for his own military advantage.
Key Points to Remember:
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The succession crisis of 1185 was triggered by the deaths of Baldwin IV (March 1185) and Baldwin V (August 1186), following years of factional conflict.
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Sibyl cleverly secured power by agreeing to divorce Guy, getting crowned as queen, then immediately choosing Guy as king - deceiving the nobles who opposed him.
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Humphrey of Toron prevented civil war by refusing the crown offered by Raymond III's faction and instead paying homage to Guy, but this left the nobility deeply divided.
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The crisis left Jerusalem with a divided nobility, an inactive government, and a dangerous truce with Saladin that would be exploited.
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Raymond III's truce with Saladin (1185) was broken by Reynald of Châtillon's raid, and Raymond's subsequent alliance with Saladin made him appear treasonous, further weakening the kingdom before Saladin's major offensive.