BALDWIN II. (1217-1273), emperor of Rumania, was a younger son of Yolande, sister of Baldwin I. Her husband, Peter of Courtenay, was third emperor of Rumania, and had been followed by his son Robert, upon whose death in 1228 the suc cession passed to Baldwin. The barons chose John of Brienne (titular king of Jerusalem) as emperor-regent for life; Baldwin was to rule the Asiatic possessions of the empire when he reached the age of 20, was to marry John's daughter Mary, and on John's death enjoy the full imperial sovereignty. The marriage took place in 1234, but when John died (123 7) the realm to which Baldwin succeeded was little more than Constantinople, and the financial situation was desperate.
In 1236 Baldwin had visited Rome, France and Flanders, trying to raise money and men to recover the lost territory of his realm, and in 1240 he was able to bring a considerable army back to Constantinople. But he could accomplish nothing with this help and in 1245 travelled again to Italy and then to France, where he spent two years. The Empress Maria and Philip of Toucy governed during his absence. Louis IX. bought some relics from him, and redeemed his son Philip whom he had been obliged to give to some merchants as security for loans; but Baldwin spent most of his reign in inglorious mendicant tours.
In 1261 Constantinople was captured by Michael Palaeologus, Baldwin escaped in a Venetian galley to Negropont, and then proceeded to Athens, whence he passed to Apulia and finally to France, still in quest of help from the western powers. He went to Italy in 1267, and in May induced Charles of Anjou to sign a treaty for the reconquest of Constantinople and to pension himself and his son Philip. In Oct. 1273 Philip married Beatrice, daughter of Charles, at Foggia. A few days later Baldwin died.
See bibliography for BALDWIN I. above; also Norden, Das Papsttum and Byzanz (19o3).