BALDWIN, the name of several members of the house of Flanders, who reigned as kings of Jerusalem during the period of the Crusades. BALD WIN I: b. 1058; d. Egypt 1118. He became King of Jerusalem in 1100. He was a brother of Godfrey of Bouillon, took part in the 1st crusade, retired to Edessa at the request of its Christian inhabitants, and became soon after Count of Edessa. He was defeated by a force from Egypt in 1102, and made some conquests, including Acre, Caesarea and Sidon. BALDWIN II ("du Bourg"') : d. 21 Aug. 1131. He was a cousin of Bald*in I, whom he succeeded as Count of Edessa, and in 1118 as King of Jeru salem. He reigned until 1131. He took Tyre in 1124, with the aid of the Venetians. He was captured by the Turks, who held him captive for six months. He resigned the crown before his death to his son-in-law, Fulk of Anjou, who reigned until 1142. BALDWIN III : b. 1129; d. Syria, 10 Feb. 1162. He was the son of Fullc of Anjou, whom he succeeded as King of Jeru salem in 1142. Tradition regards him as a model of crusading chivalry. Edessa was lost
during his reign. He inflicted several defeats on Nureddin, Sultan of Aleppo. He was held in high esteem even by his enemies and it is said that Saracens served under him. He sought to improve the external and internal defenses of his kingdom, which attained its highest power during his reign. His Queen was Theodora, daughter of the Greek Emperor Manuel. , He was succeeded by his brother Amalric, who died in 1173. BALDWIN IV Othe Leperx'), the son and successor of Amalric, reigned until 1183. Raymond, Count of Tripoli, governed the ldngdom for him, as he was lep rous. BALDWIN V, the son of Sibylla, sister of Baldwin IV, was called to the throne at the age of five. He died in 1186, and Jerusalem was taken by Saladin the following year. See CRUSADES and consult the works there referred to. Consult also Cox, (History of the Cru sades' (New York 1889), and Gibbon, Edward, (Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.)