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Melisende (1105 - c. 1160) was Queen of Jerusalem from 1131 to 1153.

Melisende was the eldest daughter of King Baldwin II of Jerusalem and the princess Morphia.Jerusalem had been recently conquered by Christian Franks in 1099 during the First Crusade ruled by the Bouillon dynasty, themselves origionally Counts of Bouillon in France. Melisande was the heir of this dynasty.

Melisende was designated as the successor of her father in 1128. She would join her contemparies Empress Maudand Eleanor of Aqutaine, themselves both designated by their father's to rule in their own right. During her father's reign Melisande was was styled filia regis et regni Jerosolimitani haeres and took presidence above other nobility and Christian cleargy in ceremonial occasions. Increasingly she was associated with her father the King on official documents, including in the minting of money, granting of thiefsdoms, and diplomatic coorspondance. Baldwin raised his daughter as a capable successor to himself and Melisende enjoyed the suport of the High Court, a kind of Council of the nobility and cleargy of the realm.

However, Baldwin also recognized he needed to have Melisende married to a powerful ally that would protect her inheritance as Queen and her future heirs. Baldwin chose Fulk V of Anjou, a renowned crusader and military commander and the paternal grandfather to Henry II Plantagent (Fulk's son Geoffery was married to Maude, Henry I's designated heir as England's next Queen Regnant). Through out the negociations Fulk insisted on being joint ruler with Melisende, and Baldwin aquiesenced. Melisande and Fulk soon had a son and heir in Baldwin (Baldwin III) in 1130. An indication of Baldwin II's intentions to make Melisade sole queen can be surmized in that he designated Melisande as guaridian for the future Baldwin III, excluding Fulk altogether. This would strenghen Melisande's influence in the kingdom.

In 1132, however, Melisende was accused of having an ongoing affair with Fulk's biggest rival, the rebel Hugh II of Le Puiset. The Kingdom of Jerusalem become divided between the supporters of Melisende and those of her husband. Melisende, however, prevailed, possibly due to her threat to employ the Hashshashin. Her terms for the resulting peace included her admission to the inner councils of the kingdom. Thereafter, wrote the historian William of Tyre, Fulk "never tried to initiate anything, even in trivial matters, without her foreknowledge."

In the years afterwards she became known as a great patron of the arts and founded a large abbey at Bethany. She and Fulk commissioned the Melisende Psalter, the greatest example of the tradition of manuscript illumination in the kingdom. She gave political support to her sister Alice in a regency question, and was present at her sister Hodierna's marriage to Count Raymond II of Tripoli in 1137. She is said to have had a succession of lovers, as well. After Fulk's death in 1143 Melisende became regent for her 13-year old son Baldwin, and they were crowned together in Melisende's third co-rulership.

Melisende proved reluctant to let go of power. She worked to keep her son out of positions of influence, and largely ignored the date of his majority in 1145. Baldwin desired a second coronation, but the request was denied by his mother, which triggered a full-blown rift in 1152. Complaining to the Haute Cour (High Court) of the kingdom that his mother would not let him rule, Baldwin demanded that the realm be divided between mother and son. In the subsequent agreement between them, Melisende ruled Judea and Samaria and Baldwin the north. This arrangement, however, proved unstable. The nobility withdrew their support from Melisende, who eventually yielded her territories (except Nablus) to her son. Surprisingly, the two became close afterwards, with Melisende acting as Baldwin's closest advisor, and even as his regent in his absence. Melisende also retained ecclesiastical patronage over the church in the Kingdom of Jerusalem till her death at the convent of Bethany in 1160 or 1161.

• Kings of Jerusalem