Kings of Jerusalem
This is a list of Kings of Jerusalem, from 1099 to 1291, as well as claimants to the title up to the present day.
Table of contents |
Kings of Jerusalem, 1099–1291
The Kingdom of Jerusalem had its origins in the First Crusade, when Godfrey of Bouillon took the title Advocatus Sancti Sepulchri in 1099 and was crowned in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. The following year, his brother Baldwin I of Jerusalem was the first to use the title "king" and the first to be crowned in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem itself.
The kingship of Jerusalem was partially elected and partially hereditary. During the height of the kingdom in the mid-12th century there was a royal family and a relatively clear line of succession. Nevertheless the king was elected, or at least recognized, by the Haute Cour. In the Haute Cour the king was considered primus inter pares, and in his absence his duties were performed by his seneschal.
The royal palace was centred on the Citadel, centred on the Tower of David. The Kingdom of Jerusalem introduced French feudal structures to the Levant: the king personally held several fiefs incorporated into the royal domain (these varied from king to king). He was also responsible for leading the kingdom into battle, although this duty could be passed to the constable. While several contemporary European states were moving towards centralized monarchies, the king of Jerusalem was continually losing power to the strongest of his barons. This was partially due to the young age of many of the kings, and the frequency of regents from the ranks of the nobles.
After the fall of Jerusalem in 1187, the capital of the Kingdom was moved to Acre, where it remained until 1291, although coronations took place in Tyre. Even in this period the kingship was often simply a nominal position, held by a European ruler who never lived in Acre. For some of the last hundred years of the kingdom, the kingship was held by the Lusignan family, simultaneously kings of Cyprus.
| King/Queen | Reigned | Regent |
|---|---|---|
| Godfrey of Bouillon (Protector of the Holy Sepulchre) | 1099 – 1100 | |
| Baldwin I | 1100 – 1118 | |
| Baldwin II | 1118 – 1131 | |
| Melisende and Fulk | 1131 – 1153 Fulk lost influence after 1136, and died 1143. Melisende countinued to reign by right of law | |
| Baldwin III | 1153 – 1162, was crowned as co-ruler and heir of Melisende 1143 | Melisende (Regent and advisor, 1154-1161) |
| Amalric I | 1162 – 1174 | |
| Baldwin IV | 1174 – 1185 | Raymond III of Tripoli (Regent, 1174-1177) |
| Baldwin V | 1185 – 1186 | Raymond III of Tripoli (Regent, 1185-1186) |
| Sibylla and Guy of Lusignan | 1186 – 1187 | |
| Jerusalem lost in 1187 – remaining kings ruled over a narrow coastal strip | ||
| Isabella | 1192 – 1205 | |
| With Conrad of Montferrat | 1192 | |
| With Henry II of Champagne | 1192 – 1197 | |
| With Amalric II | 1198 – 1205) | |
| Maria of Montferrat | 1205 – 1212 | John of Ibelin (Regent, 1205 – 1210) |
| John of Brienne | 1210 – 1212 | |
| Yolande | 1212 – 1228 | John of Brienne (Regent 1212-1225) |
| Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor | 1225 – 1228 | |
| Conrad of Hohenstaufen | 1228 – 1254 | Frederick II (Regent, 1228 – 1243) Queen Alice of Cyprus (Regent, 1243 – 1246) King Henry I of Cyprus (Regent, 1246 – 1253) Queen Plaisance of Cyprus (Regent, 1253 – 1254) |
| Conradin | 1254 – 1268 | Queen Plaisance of Cyprus (Regent, 1254 – 1261 Princess Isabella of Antioch (Regent, 1261 – 1264) King Hugh III of Cyprus (Regent, 1264 – 1268) |
| Hugh I | 1268 – 1284 (Opposed by Charles of Anjou) | |
| Charles of Anjou | 1277 – 1285 (Opposed by Hugh I and John II) | |
| John II | 1284 – 1285 (Opposed by Charles of Anjou) | |
| Henry II | 1285 – 1291 | |
| Acre captured in 1291; kingdom ends. | ||
Claimants to the throne of Jerusalem
After the end of the kingdom, Henry II continued to use the title "King of Jerusalem." After his death the title was claimed by both his direct heirs, the Kings of Cyprus, and by the Angevin Kings of Naples, whose founder, Charles of Anjou, had bought the rights to the throne from a childless supposed heiress. The Angevin claim passed down through their heirs, the Dukes of Lorraine, into the modern day House of Habsburg, and was also claimed by the Aragonese Kings who conquered Naples itself in the 15th century.
Currently, the title of King of Jerusalem is claimed by King Juan Carlos I of Spain as the successor to the royal family of Naples. The House of Savoy, as heirs of the royal family of Cyprus, have also made claims on the title at times.
None of these, however, have actually claimed a physical kingdom.
Cypriot claimants
- Henry II (1285) 1291-1306 d. 1324, remains as king of Cyprus
- Amalric II 1306-1310
- Henry II (restored) 1310-1324
- Hugh IV 1324-1359
- Pierre I 1359-1369
- Pierre II 1369-1382
- James I 1382-1398
- Janus 1398-1432
- Jean II 1432-1458
- Charlotte 1458-1460 d. 1487
- James II 1460-1473
- James III 1473-1474
- Claims pass to the Royal House of Savoy...
- Ludovico 1474-1482, duke of Savoy
- Carlo I the Warrior 1482-1490
- Carlo II 1490-1496
- Filippo the Landless 1496-1497
- Filiberto the Handsome 1497-1504
- Carlo III the Good 1504-1553
- Emmanuel Filiberto 1553-1580
- Carlo Emmanuel I 1580-1630
- Vittorio Amadeo I 1630-1637
- Carlo Emmanuel II 1637-1675
- Vittorio Amadeo II 1675-1732
- Carlo Emmanuel III 1730-1773
- Vittorio Amadeo III 1773-1796
- Carlo Emmanuel IV 1796-1819
- Vittorio Emmanuel 1819-1824
- Maria 1824-1840
- Claims inherited by the Habsburg-Modena family... ·
- Francesco I 1840-1875, duke of Modena
- Maria II 1875-1919
- Bavarian royal family inherited the title...
- Rupprecht 1919-1955
- Albrecht 1955-1996
- Franz II 1996-present
Neapolitan claimants
- Bought from Princess Maria of Antioch in 1277
- Charles I 1266-1285; acquired title with approval of pope in 1277
- Charles II 1285-1309
- Robert 1309-1343
- Joanna I 1343-1382
- Charles III 1382-1386
- Ladislas 1386-1414
- Joanna II 1414-1435
- René 1435-1442 d. 1480
- House of Aragon conquers Naples...
- Alfonso I 1442-1458, king of Aragon
- Ferdinando I 1458-1494
- Alfonso II 1494-1495
- Ferdinando II 1495-1496
- Federigo II 1496-1502
- Ferdinando III 1502-1516
- Carlos I 1516-1555 d. 1558; the Emperor Charles V of Spain and the Holy Roman Empire
- Felipe II 1555-1598, King of Spain
- Felipe III 1598-1621, King of Spain
- Felipe IV 1621-1665, King of Spain
- Carlos II 1665-1700, King of Spain
- Bourbon dynasty inherits Spain...
- Philip V 1700-1707 d. 1746, King of Spain
- Habsburg of Austria takes Naples...
- Joseph I 1707-1711, Holy Roman Emperor
- Carlo VI 1711-1734 d. 1740, Holy Roman Emperor
- Bourbon dynasty takes Naples and Sicily...
- Carlo VII 1734-1759 d. 1788, King of Spain
- Ferdinando IV 1759-1825, King of Naples
- Francesco I 1825-1830, King of Naples
- Ferdinando II 1830-1859, King of Naples
- Francesco II 1859-1894, King of Naples (Two Sicilies) until 1861
- Alfonso III 1894-1934
- Ferdinando III 1934-1960
- Alfonso IV 1960-1964
- Carlo VIII 1964-present
Austrian Habsburg claim
- Carlo VI 1711-1734 d. 1740, Holy Roman Emperor; lost Naples but maintained the title
- Maria Therese 1740-1780
- House of Lorraine (Vaudemont)...
- Joseph 1765-1790
- Leopold 1790-1792
- Francis II 1792-1835, last Holy Roman Emperor, 1806; first Emperor of Austria, 1804
- Ferdinand II 1835-1875
- Francis Joseph 1875-1916
- Charles II 1916-1922, Emperor of Austria until 1918
- Otto 1922-present
Spanish Bourbon claim
- Carlos IV 1788-1819; eldest son of Carlo VII of Naples, King of Spain as Carlos III 1788-1808
- Fernando VII 1819-1833; King of Spain in 1808 & from 1813
- Isabel II 1833-1904; lost Spanish crown in 1868
- Alfonso XIII 1904-1941; King of Spain 1886-1931
- Juan de Borbón 1941-1977; heir to Spanish throne, renounces his rights in favor of his son in 1977
- Juan Carlos 1977-present; King of Spain from 1975
Potential Maltese claim
- Jean II 1432-1458
- Charlotte 1458-1460 d. 1487
- James II 1460-1473
- James III 1473-1474
- Eugene Matteo de Armenia, Baron of Baccari (1474-1523)
- James Antonio d'Armenia, 2nd Baron di Baccari, Baron di Benuwarred (1523-1558),
- Don Masi d'Armenia, 3rd Barone di Baccari (1558-1589)
- Donna Isabella d'Armenia, (r.1566-1621), 4th Baroness di Baccari, 3rd Baroness di Benuwarred (r.1589-1621)
- Noble Isabella Inguanez, 7th Baronessa di Baccara (r. 1632-1667)
- Nobile Francesco Inguanez, (1639-1709), 8th Barone di Baccari (r. 1667-1709)
- Conte Publio Inguanez, 9th Barone di Baccari, (r. 1709-1742)
- Contessa Maria Inguanez, De Jure "15th" Baroness di Djar-il-Bniet e Buqana By Right of Descent, and 10th Baroness di Baccari (r. 1742-1760)
- Theresia Tanti, (1726-1789), 11th Baroness di Baccari (r.1760-1789)
- John Vella, 12th Barone di Baccari, (1755-1799) (r.1789-1799)
- Xavier Vella, 13th Barone di Baccari(r.1799-1867)
- Teresa Vella Sant, (1823-1903), 14th de-Jure Baroness di Baccari (r.1867-1903)
- Principe Francesco Saverio Said (died 1956), 15th Barone di Baccari. (r.1903-1956)
- Conte Giovanni Maria Said, 16th Barone (died at Sydney, Australia 2004) (r.1956-2004)
- Francesco Saverio Said, 17th and Present Barone of Baccari (r.2004-present)
Other Claims
- Hugh Count of Brienne claimed the regency (and, indirectly, a place in the succession) in 1264 as senior heir of Henry I of Cyprus, but was passed over by the Haute Cour in favor of his cousin Hugh III of Cyprus. This claim fell to his son Walter V of Brienne and his descendants.
- Frederick of Meissen, Landgrave of Thuringia, briefly used the title after the death of Conradin in 1268, as grandson of Frederick II and step-grandson of Yolande.
See also
Categories: Kings of Jerusalem