Despite being blind and paralyzed, “The Leper King” Baldwin IV of the Kingdom of Jerusalem remained resilient on the battlefield. He was a source of fear for Muslims in the 12th century.
Portrait of King Baldwin.
World history has recorded numerous examples of extraordinary kings who were both talented and valiant. For instance, Pharaoh Ramesses II single-handedly repelled tens of thousands of Hittite soldiers, while later, Alexander the Great dared to lead a handful of cavalry against the ranks of hundreds of thousands of Persian troops.
There is a common thread between these two battles; they involved strong, skilled fighters facing enemies who were primarily farmers with limited combat skills. However, the notion that a person suffering from a debilitating illness, unable to wield a sword with his dominant hand and struggling to walk or speak, could engage in heroic acts seems almost unbelievable. Yet, one person did just that. He was King Baldwin IV – the leprous king of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
Baldwin IV – the great leper king of Jerusalem (scene from the movie Kingdom of Heaven).
The question arises: how could a leprous king become a defender of faith, a savior of the Christian world, or a hero to the Knights Templar? What kind of motivation or willpower could a person, seemingly incapacitated and aware that he “could not see past 30” (in reality, he only lived to 24), possess to protect Jerusalem from Saladin, the so-called Immortal Warrior of Islam, throughout his reign?
Until the end of his life, when he was completely blind and paralyzed, Baldwin IV still instilled enough fear in his enemies that they dared not attack the Kingdom of Heaven, despite their vastly superior numbers and strength. This indeed was an effort that surpassed human limits.
A Childhood Unfamiliar with Physical Pain
In 1161, Prince Baldwin (son of King Amalric and Queen Agnes) was born in Jerusalem – the Kingdom of the Crusader legions, a holy land for both Christianity and Islam.
From a very young age, Baldwin exhibited the qualities of a wise ruler. He was exceptionally intelligent and eager to learn. His personal tutor, William of Tyre, described the young prince: “He learns everything very quickly and is handsome too. As time passed, he was filled with hope and developed his natural abilities proficiently. In horse riding, he proved to be better than older men, and additionally, Baldwin had an excellent memory and enjoyed listening to tales of old.”
William of Tyre realizes the prince feels no pain
One day, William of Tyre discovered that the future king felt no pain; the boy did not cry even when other children pinched his arms. Initially, William thought the 9-year-old prince was simply demonstrating his toughness and bravery, but upon closer examination, he found that Baldwin had completely lost sensation in his arms – a symptom of leprosy.
At that time, people feared this disease due to its horrifying physical deformities. The Saracens (a term used by Europeans to refer to Muslims) claimed that this illness was a punishment from Allah for the infidels daring to seize Jerusalem from them.
Even Christians believed they were being punished by God. And when the head of Jerusalem fell victim to this disease, they understood that the Kingdom of Heaven was on the brink of collapse.
Many historians believe that the king truly wore protective masks like this, not just in films
Four years after William of Tyre discovered the young prince’s illness, King Amalric died and Baldwin officially became the king of Jerusalem at the age of 13. Due to his youth, Miles of Plancy – the king’s closest relative became the regent.
Not long after, Miles was killed, and Raymond of Tripoli became his successor. In 1175, Raymond of Tripoli signed a truce with Saladin – the leader of the Ayyubid dynasty and also the leader of the Islamic world at that time to keep Jerusalem peaceful, at least for a few years.
The Wisdom and Genius Vision of a Great Ruler
But Baldwin was acutely aware of his role. At 15, while other children enjoyed leisure and play, he became a powerful king.
In 1176, the young king officially assumed full control of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Two years had passed since the boy who felt no pain became king, and his leprosy had worsened significantly. It tormented Baldwin’s body constantly, gradually rendering him incapacitated.
Baldwin IV and Saladin (scene from the movie Kingdom of Heaven)
Despite these hardships, he refused to accept and surrender to his cruel fate, and even less so to passively accept the illusory peace offered by Saladin. The king immediately voided the truce with Saladin. He knew that if he accepted a truce and allowed Saladin’s army to roam freely in the surrounding territories, Jerusalem would inevitably fall.
Baldwin personally led troops to conquer the lands surrounding Damascus, forcing Saladin to abandon his attack on Aleppo and retreat to a defensive position. In the same year, Baldwin defeated Saladin’s nephew’s army in Lebanon and Syria.
Within the first few months, Baldwin demonstrated his remarkably sharp tactical mind. Instead of defending Aleppo, Baldwin ordered an attack on Damascus, forcing Saladin to halt his campaign. In Sun Tzu’s Art of War, this is referred to as the famous tactic of “Besiege Wei to Rescue Zhao.”
Image of the Byzantine Empire
Shortly afterward, Baldwin planned a direct attack on the stronghold of Egypt, where Saladin’s power was centralized, located in Cairo, Giza, Luxor, etc. Recognizing that Jerusalem was weak in naval warfare, the young king allied with the Byzantine Empire.
The plan seemed to progress smoothly until William of Montferrat – the king’s brother-in-law and the most crucial figure in the campaign fell ill and died. Subsequently, the king himself fell ill, causing the campaign to stall.
The Byzantine court grew anxious and decided not to support this military campaign any longer. The effort to eliminate Saladin collapsed, preventing the Crusaders from ever harming Saladin’s stronghold again. Unfortunately, the only one who recognized the significance of this campaign, King Baldwin, could not fulfill his aspirations.
Saladin – one of the most famous conquerors in world history who trembled before Baldwin IV
Later historians believe that had Baldwin succeeded, the Kingdom of Jerusalem would have lasted much longer and not collapsed so quickly. The course of world history would have changed significantly if Saladin had been defeated that day.
The Incredible Victory at Montgisard – The Birth of the Defender of the Faith
Not only distinguished by intellect and genius vision, what made Baldwin IV a great king was his unbelievable courage at the famous battle of Montgisard – where the king, at just 16 years old, defeated an elite army that was ten times larger.
After the campaign in Egypt was canceled, Philip of Flanders returned his army to the northern border of Jerusalem, and Raymond of Tripoli joined him. This left Jerusalem in a precarious situation.
The king was gravely ill, and his soldiers had deserted. Saladin, of course, could not miss such an opportunity granted by Allah; he marched 26,000 elite soldiers along with the Egyptian Khassaki guard toward Jerusalem.
26,000 Saracen soldiers marching toward Jerusalem…
On his sickbed, Baldwin summoned 600 Knights Templar and a few thousand local soldiers to resist Saladin. His health was so poor that people believed he was on the verge of death.
Bernard Hamilton, author of “Baldwin IV – The Leper King and His Heirs”, described the king at that time as “half dead.” The king’s army, compared to Saladin’s 26,000 warriors, was like a candle in a storm. Realizing this, Saladin ignored King Baldwin and advanced directly toward Jerusalem.
On his way to Jerusalem, Saladin attacked Ramla, Lydda, and Arsuf, spreading his troops over a wide area, looting freely, believing that the king could do nothing against such a crippled army.
… and clashed with King Baldwin IV and the Knights Templar at Mons Gisardi
The Army of God encountered Saladin at Mons Gisardi, near Ramla. This took Saladin by surprise. He hurriedly gathered his troops and arranged them against the enemy.
From afar, the army led by Baldwin IV remained silent, as the king ordered the placement of a giant cross at the front lines. Despite suffering from a terrible illness, he struggled to dismount his horse, knelt before the cross, prayed to God for victory, and stood tall shouting to his soldiers.
While Saladin was still busy organizing his forces, the Army of God surged forward like a flood. The king, with his right hand bandaged and unable to grasp, wielded his sword with his left hand and charged directly into the heart of Saladin’s army.
Baldwin valiantly joining the battle
Historian Stephen Howarth recounted: “26,000 Saracen warriors faced a few hundred Christian knights, yet most of the Saracens were killed, while others fled. Saladin escaped because he rode a racing camel. The young king, with his bandaged hand, always led the Christian ranks, with St. George by his side.”
It is said that: “The cross shone bright like the sun. It was an unbelievable victory, echoing the First Crusade. But it was also the last time a Muslim army was defeated by such a small force.”
Knight Templar
The immortal warriors of Islam were terrified, and if it weren’t for the strongest camel, Saladin would have been captured right in the battlefield. His 26,000 elite soldiers were scattered without armor, and the famous Khassaki guard was nearly all killed, with Saladin’s nephew also slain in battle.
Baldwin continued to pursue Saladin until nightfall before retreating to Ascalon. Ten days later, heavy rains fell, and Saladin’s defeated army was left with only over 2,000 men, struggling against hunger and thirst as they fought their way back to Egypt.
Thanks to having the strongest camel, Saladin escaped from the battlefield
Years later, Saladin still recalled this defeat as a terrible disaster. However, upon returning to Egypt, he ordered that no one mention this defeat and to regard it as a victory; he simply withdrew.
The Battle of Montgisard immortalized the name Baldwin IV. Across Christian kingdoms, the young king was hailed as the Messiah, the Defender of the Faith…
24 Years – A Legend
The glory of victory did not soften the rapid spread of leprosy. Meanwhile, Baldwin IV had no successor. In 1183, the king officially became blind, and his limbs were so damaged that he could do nothing.
Baldwin IV appointed Guy de Lusignan as regent. However, Guy de Lusignan soon proved too weak to unify the factions and dared not confront Saladin, even though he commanded the strongest army ever on the Holy Land – the army built by Baldwin IV himself. Thus, the burden of an entire kingdom once again fell on Baldwin IV’s shoulders.
Portrait of Guy de Lusignan
At the end of 1183, the wedding of the king’s sister – Isabel, held in Kerak, caught Saladin’s attention. Immediately, the Muslim leader sent troops to besiege the castle while the festivities were ongoing.
Despite being completely incapacitated, Baldwin IV ordered his attendants to carry him on a litter to rescue Kerak. Terrified by this extraordinary effort and knowing well the young king’s military prowess, Saladin ordered a retreat. In 1184, once again Saladin besieged Kerak, only to withdraw shortly after Baldwin IV appeared on the battlefield, even though he had to lie on a litter.
Until the end of his life, the name Baldwin IV remained a terror to Muslims
On May 16, 1185, Baldwin IV’s soul ascended to meet God. He was cremated at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Two years after the king’s death, Guy de Lusignan was defeated by Saladin, and the Kingdom of Jerusalem fell into Muslim hands.
The 24 years of Baldwin IV’s life were an epic tale, as inscribed on the roof of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre: Per Crucem and Lucem (From the Cross to the Light). The faith of the young king ensured the peace of Jerusalem throughout his reign.
Subsequent historians have concluded that what killed Baldwin IV was not actually leprosy. He could have lived much longer, but the unending battles caused his wounds to become severely infected. Regardless, it can be said that what he achieved in his 9 years of reign was worth more than 90 years of a peaceful life.
The Kingdom of Jerusalem permanently collapsed, and the name Saladin became a terror to Christianity until the arrival of King Richard I (also known as Richard the Lionheart). The complex relationship between Saladin and Richard made the context of the Crusades even more interesting. And that is another story…
