Amalric II of Jerusalem

Amalric II (1145–April 1, 1205), King of Jerusalem 1197–1205, was an older brother of Guy of Lusignan.

Related Topics:
1145 - April 1 - 1205 - King of Jerusalem - 1197 - Guy of Lusignan

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The Lusignan family was noted for its many Crusaders. Amalric and Guy were sons of Hugh VIII of Lusignan, who had himself campaigned in the Holy Land in the 1160s. After being expelled from Poitou by their overlord, Richard the Lion-hearted, Guy and Amalric arrived in Palestine in 1179. Amalric took service with Agnes of Courtenay, Countess of Sidon and former wife of Amalric I of Jerusalem, and as rumour would have it, became her lover. Guy married Agnes' daughter, Sibylla of Jerusalem, and so gained a claim to the kingdom of Jerusalem. Amalric was among those captured with his brother after the disastrous Battle of Hattin in 1187.

Related Topics:
Lusignan - Hugh VIII of Lusignan - 1160s - Poitou - Richard the Lion-hearted - 1179 - Agnes of Courtenay - Amalric I of Jerusalem - Guy - Sibylla of Jerusalem - Battle of Hattin - 1187

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He had been constable of Jerusalem, but in 1194, on the death of his brother, he became King of Cyprus as Amalric I. By his first wife, Eschiva, daughter of Baldwin of Ibelin, he was the father of Hugh I of Cyprus. After Eschiva's death in 1197 he married Isabella, the daughter of Amalric I of Jerusalem by his second marriage, and became King of Jerusalem in right of his wife in January, 1198.

Related Topics:
Constable of Jerusalem - 1194 - King of Cyprus - Baldwin of Ibelin - Hugh I of Cyprus - 1197 - Isabella - Amalric I of Jerusalem - King of Jerusalem - 1198

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In 1198 he was able to procure a five years' truce with the Muslims, owing to the struggle between Saladin's brothers and his sons for the inheritance of his territories. The truce was disturbed by raids on both sides, but in 1204 it was renewed for six years.

Related Topics:
Muslim - Saladin - 1204

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Amalric died of dysentery (allegedly brought on by "a surfeit of white mullet") in 1205, just after his son Amalric and just before his wife. The kingdom of Cyprus passed to Hugh, his son by Eschiva, while the kingdom of Jerusalem passed to Maria, the daughter of Isabella by her previous marriage with Conrad of Montferrat.

Related Topics:
Hugh - Kingdom of Jerusalem - Maria - Conrad of Montferrat

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