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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 Armenian princess Morphia of Melitene. Jerusalem had recently been conquered by Christian Franks in 1099 during the First Crusade, and was ruled by a dynasty from the County of Boulogne in France. Melisende was the heir of this dynasty.

Inheritance

Melisende was designated as the successor of her father before 1128. Though few women inherited a throne in their own right; Melisende's contemparies included Empress Maud and Eleanor of Aquitaine. During her father's reign Melisende was styled filia regis et regni Jerosolimitani haeres and took precedence above other nobles and Christian clergy in ceremonial occasions. Increasingly she was associated with her father on official documents, including in the minting of money, granting of fiefdoms and other forms of patronage, and in diplomatic correspondance. Baldwin raised his daughter as a capable successor to himself and Melisende enjoyed the suport of the Haute Cour, a kind of royal council comprising the nobility and clergy of the realm.

However, Baldwin also recognized that he would have to marry Melisende to a powerful ally, one who would protect and safeguard Melisende's inheritance as Queen and her future heirs. His intention was for a consort for his daughter. Baldwin chose Fulk V of Anjou, a renowned crusader and military commander, and the paternal grandfather of Henry Plantagent (Fulk's son Geoffrey was married to Empress Maud, Henry I of England's designated heir as England's next Queen regnant). Throughout the negotiations Fulk insisted on being joint ruler with Melisende. Baldwin aquiesced to these demands as Fulk was relatively rich (even for a crusader) and would bring much military expierence with him in defense of Jerusalem. Melisende and Fulk soon had a son and heir in 1130, the future Baldwin III. As an indication of Baldwin II's intentions to make Melisende sole queen and to strengthen her position, he designated Melisende as guardian for the future Baldwin III, excluding Fulk altogether.

After Baldwin II's death in 1131, Melisende and Fulk ascended to the throne as joint rulers. However, with the aid of his crusader knights Fulk excluded Melisende from granting titles and other forms of patronage, and publicly dismissed her authority. This treatment of their Queen irritated the members of the Haute Cour, whose own positions would be eroded if Fulk countinued to dominate the realm.

Palace Intrigue

The estrangement between husband and wife was a convenient political tool that Fulk used in 1134 when he accused Hugh II of Le Puiset, Count of Jaffa, of having an affair with Melisende. Hugh was the most powerful baron in the kingdom, and devotedly loyal to the memory of Baldwin II. This loyalty now extended to Milsende, though Hugh, by strict salic law, held a better claim to the throne. Hugh was a cousin of Melisende, and also a member of the Royal Family. Contemporary sources, such as William of Tyre, discount the infidelity of Melisende and instead point out that Fulk overly favoured newly arrived Frankish crusaders from Anjou over the native nobility of the kingdom. Had Melisende been guilty the church and nobility would not later have rallied to her cause.

In desperation Hugh allied himself with the Muslim city of Ascalon, but was soon defeated by Fulk's military prowess. The Patriarch negotiated lenient terms for peace, and Hugh was exiled for three years. Soon thereafter an unsuccessful assassination attempt against Hugh was attributed to Fulk or his suporters. This was reason enough for the queen's party to openly challenge Fulk, as Fulk's unfounded assertions at infeldility was a public affront that would damage Melisende's position entirily.

Through what amounted to a palace coup, the queen's supporters overcame Fulk, and from 1135 onwards Fulk's influence rapidly deteriorated. One historian wrote that Fulk's suporters "went in terror of their lives" in the palace. William of Tyre wrote that Fulk "did not attempt to take the initiative, even in trivial matters, without (Melisende's) knowledge". Husband and wife reconciled by 1136 and a second son, Amalric, was born. When Fulk was killed in a hunting accident in 1143 and Melisende publically and privatly morned for her him.

Melisende's victory was complete. Again she is seen in the historical record granting titles of nobility, fiefdoms, appointments and offices, granting royal favours and pardons and holding court. Of Melisende, William of Tyre wrote "reseditque reginam regni potestas penes dominam Melisendem, Deo amabilem reginam, cui jure hereditario competebate." Melisende was no mere regent-queen for her son Baldwin III, but a Queen Regnant, reigning by right of heriditary and civil law.

Patroness of the Church and Arts

Melisende enjoyed the suport of the church throughout her lifetime; from her appointment as Baldwin II's successor, throughout the conflict with Fulk, and later when Baldwin III would come of age. In 1138 she founded a large convent in Bethany where her younger sister Yveta would rule as abess. In keeping with a Royal Abby, Melisende granted the convent the fertal plains of Jericho. Additionally the queen also supplied rich furnishings and liturgal vessels, so that it would not be in any way inferior to religeous houses for men. Acording to aurthor and historian Benard Hamilton, Melisende also gave large "endowments to the Holy Sepulchre, our Lady of Josaphat, the Templum Domini, the order of the Hospital, the leper hospital of Saint Lazarus, and the Praemonstratensians of Saint Samuel's."

Sometime between 1131 to 1143, the queen commissioned the Melisande Pslater .Though influenced by Byzantine and Italians traditions in the illuminations, the artists which contributed to it had a unique and decidedly Jerusalem style. Historian Bucher wrote "Jerusalem during the second quarter of the twelf cenurty possesed a flourishing and well-established scriptorium which could, without difficulty, undertake a commission for a royal manuscript de grand luxe ". Melisende must be given credit for sponsoring the artists in her realm, wrote Benard Hamilton.

Second Crusade

Between 1146 and 1149 the Second Crusade, led by French King Louis and the German Emperor, came to the Levant. Though many women went on crusade with thir husbands, Eleanor of Aqutaine was unique. Eleanor led her own host as Duchess of Aqutaine, with all her own vassel lords in tow. Eleanor had herself been designated by her father, William X , to succede in her own right, simular to Melisende circumstance. Even though she was married to the French king, by a prenuptual treaty Aqutaine maintained compleate independace, more an allied nation by marrage then a vassel state of France.

The Second Crusade was a compleate military disaster, plagued by in-fighting and poor planning. But once in Jerusalem the meeting with Melisende must have had an impact on Eleanor. Melisende was undisputed queen by right, head of a nation and subject to no man. The palace was well appointed with all the Oriental splendor western Europe's drafty castles and poor sanitation lacked; from fine quality Persian carpts and wall tapestries, fine silk sheets and clothing, mosaics floors, to bathing and goorming habits that were lost in the Dark Ages. Th Jerusalem of Melisende must have seen a kind of paradise to western Europeans. Eleanor, sure of herself and with the nerve of her youth, with all her renowned beauty, must have been influenced by this. This meeting between between the two queens may have influenced Eleanor in her dealings with her husbands and sons, and Melisende may have influced Eleanor's governing style when she went home to Potiou.

Melisende and Baldwin III

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 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, the richest of the provances, and Baldwin the north. This arrangement, however, proved unstable. Melisende, recognizing the weakened position of the kingdom, yielded her territories to Baldwin III. Despite the initial rift and perhaps surprisingly, the two became close afterwards. Melisende maintained much influence in government and was 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.

Retirement

William of Tyre, writing on Melisende's 30-year reign, wrote that "she was a very wise woman, fully exprienced in almost all affairs of state buisness, who comepletely triumphed over the handicap of her sex so she could take charge of important affairs...", and " striving to emulate the glory of the best princes, (Melisende) ruled the kingdom with such ability that she was rightly considered to have equalled her predecessors in that reguard."

Sources

• Medieval Women, edited by Derek Baker, Ecclesiatical Hostory Society, 1978

• 1105 births
• 1160 deaths
• Kings of Jerusalem