Home > Humphrey IV of Toron

He was the son of Humphrey III of Toron and Stephanie of Milly, and grandson of Humphrey II, former constable of Jerusalem. He was also a stepson of Raynald of Chatillon, who married Stephanie when Humphrey III died. Humphrey's sister Isabella was married to Rupen III of Armenia. The lords of Toron were one of the original crusader families and were supporters of the barons' faction, as opposed to the new crusader princes who tended to come from Europe to marry into the royal family. Humphrey IV became lord of Toron when Humphrey II died in 1179.

Humphrey IV, as a member of an old family, was therefore an anomaly in the royal family; in 1180 he became betrothed to Isabella of JerusalemIsabella of Jerusalem ( 1170- 1205) was Queen of Jerusalem from 1192 to 1205. She was the daughter of Amalric I of Jerusalem and Maria Comnena, daughter of Byzantine emperor Manuel I Comnenus. Isabella was married four times. Her husbands were: # Humphrey, daughter of former king Amalric IAmalric I (also Amaury or Aimery ( 1136- 1174) was king of Jerusalem from 1162 to 1174. Amalric was the son of Fulk of Jerusalem, and the brother of Baldwin III. He was married twice, first to Agnes of Edessa, with whom he had two children, Baldwin IV and, under the agreement that Toron would become a royal territory. In November of 1183Events Emperor Go-Toba ascends to the throne of Japan Births Deaths Heads of states England Henry II Curt Mantle, King of England (reigned 1154 1189). France Philippe II, Auguste King of France (reigned from 1180 to 1223). Humphrey and the eleven-year old Isabella were married in the fortress of Kerak, which was at the same time besieged by SaladinSaladin ( 1137 1193) Salah al Din Yusuf Ibn Ayyub founded the ethnically Kurdish Ayyubid dynasty of Egypt and Syria. He was also renowned in both the Christian and Muslim worlds for his leadership and military prowess tempered by his chivalry and merciful. Humphrey's mother convinced Saladin not to direct his attack against the tower in which the marriage was taking place, although he continued to besiege the rest of the fortress; Kerak was eventually relieved by king Baldwin IVBaldwin IV ( 1161- 1185), the son of Amalric I of Jerusalem and his first wife Agnes of Edessa, was king of Jerusalem from 1174 to 1183, when he had his nephew Baldwin V crowned in his place. Baldwin IV was educated by William of Tyre, and came to the thr.

In 1186Events John the Chanter becomes Bishop of Exeter. January 27 Constance of Sicily marries Henry (the future Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor). Births Deaths William of Tyre (archbishop) August 19 Geoffrey Plantagenet, Duke of Brittany, stamped by a horse in a, when Baldwin VBaldwin V ( 1177- 1186) was the son of Sibylla of Jerusalem and her first husband, William of Montferrat. He was the nominal king of Jerusalem from 1183 to 1186, under the regency of Raymond III of Tripoli. During his reign, Saladin continued to advance i died, Raynald tried to convince him to claim the throne through Isabella. However, Humphrey, not known to be ambitious or confrontational, instead chose to support Guy of LusignanGuy of Lusignan (died 1194) was a French knight who became king of Jerusalem and led the Kingdom to disaster at the Battle of Hattin in 1187. Guy arrived in the Kingdom around 1180, and King Baldwin IV, incapacitated by leprosy, arranged for him to marry, husband of Isabella's sister Sibylla, and Raynald and the other nobles followed his support, even though Guy was a newcomer.

Guy proved to be an ineffective king, and Saladin invaded the kingdom in 1187. Humphrey was captured at the Battle of Hattin that year, but was let go and returned to Kerak to prepare for its defense. He was captured again when Kerak fell in 1189, but was again set free.

The barons of Jerusalem had only begrudgingly accepted Guy as king because of Humphrey's influence, and after the fall of Jerusalem they turned against him. During the Third Crusade in 1190 the Patriarch annulled Humphrey's marriage to Isabella, based on the newcomer Conrad of Montferrat's argument that she had married Humphrey while underage. Humphrey and Isabella were a devoted couple and did not want to divorce, but Humphrey did not want to cause any conflict with the other barons. Humphrey was also intimidated into the divorce by Guy of Senlis, a French noble, who challenged him to combat (Humphrey refused). Conrad then married Isabella himself (although he was already married), and claimed the throne of Jerusalem through her, with the support of the other barons, especially the powerful Ibelin family.

Humphrey allied himself with Richard Lionheart, first in the capture of Cyprus and then against Saladin. As Humphrey was fluent in Arabic he was able to negotiate with Saladin on Richard's behalf. In 1192, when Conrad was assassinated by the Hashshashin, Humphrey, along with Richard and various others, were suspected to be involved, although this is unlikely. Isabella was then married off to Henry II of Champagne, over the protests of Humphrey, who argued that the annulment of their marriage was invalid due to Conrad's bigamy.

Humphrey probably died soon after this.