The Crusades and the Red Sea: The Adventures and Misadventures of Renaud de Chatillon (PDF)
Here is the outline of the article I will write for you: # Renaud de Chatillon: A Crusader Prince and Lord - Introduction - Who was Renaud de Chatillon? - What was his role in the Crusades? - Why is he a controversial figure in history? - Early life and arrival in the Holy Land - When and where was he born? - What was his family background and social status? - How did he join the Second Crusade and reach Antioch? - Prince of Antioch - How did he marry Constance, the princess of Antioch? - What were his achievements and challenges as a ruler? - How did he provoke the Byzantine emperor Manuel I Komnenos? - Captivity and release - How did he get captured by the Muslim ruler of Aleppo? - How long did he spend in prison and how did he cope? - How did he regain his freedom and what did he do afterwards? - Lord of Oultrejordain and Hebron - How did he marry Stephanie of Milly, the heiress of Oultrejordain? - How did he acquire Hebron from King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem? - How did he become one of the richest and most powerful lords in the kingdom? - War with Saladin - How did he lead the crusader army to victory at the Battle of Montgisard? - How did he raid the Red Sea coast and threaten the Muslim pilgrims to Mecca? - How did he break the truce with Saladin by attacking a caravan? - Death and legacy - How did he participate in the Battle of Hattin and what was his fate? - How did his actions contribute to the fall of Jerusalem and most of the crusader states? - How is he remembered by different sources and perspectives? - Conclusion - Summarize the main points of the article - Evaluate Renaud de Chatillon's character and impact - Provide some questions for further research or discussion - FAQs - What was Renaud de Chatillon's relationship with King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem? - What was Renaud de Chatillon's motivation for raiding the Red Sea coast? - What was Renaud de Chatillon's role in the Third Crusade? - What was Renaud de Chatillon's connection with Richard the Lionheart? - What was Renaud de Chatillon's influence on literature and art? Now, based on this outline, I will write the article for you. Please wait a few minutes while I generate it. Thank you for your patience. ? OK, I'm continuing to write the article. Here is the first table with the outline of the article: Section Heading Subheading --- --- --- Introduction Renaud de Chatillon: A Crusader Prince and Lord Who was Renaud de Chatillon? What was his role in the Crusades? Why is he a controversial figure in history? Early life and arrival in the Holy Land When and where was he born? What was his family background and social status? How did he join the Second Crusade and reach Antioch? Prince of Antioch How did he marry Constance, the princess of Antioch? What were his achievements and challenges as a ruler? How did he provoke the Byzantine emperor Manuel I Komnenos? Captivity and release How did he get captured by the Muslim ruler of Aleppo? How long did he spend in prison and how did he cope? How did he regain his freedom and what did he do afterwards? Lord of Oultrejordain and Hebron How did he marry Stephanie of Milly, the heiress of Oultrejordain? How did he acquire Hebron from King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem? How did he become one of the richest and most powerful lords in the kingdom? War with Saladin How did he lead the crusader army to victory at the Battle of Montgisard? How did he raid the Red Sea coast and threaten the Muslim pilgrims to Mecca? How did he break the truce with Saladin by attacking a caravan? Death and legacy How did he participate in the Battle of Hattin and what was his fate? How did his actions contribute to the fall of Jerusalem and most of the crusader states? How is he remembered by different sources and perspectives? Conclusion Summarize the main points of the article Evaluate Renaud de Chatillon's character and impact Provide some questions for further research or discussion FAQs What was Renaud de Chatillon's relationship with King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem? What was Renaud de Chatillon's motivation for raiding the Red Sea coast? What was Renaud de Chatillon's role in the Third Crusade? What was Renaud de Chatillon's connection with Richard the Lionheart? What was Renaud de Chatillon's influence on literature and art? And here is the second table with the article with HTML formatting: Renaud de Chatillon: A Crusader Prince and Lord
Renaud de Chatillon was a French knight who became one of the most prominent figures in the Crusades, a series of religious wars between Christians and Muslims for control of the Holy Land. He ruled as prince of Antioch, a crusader state in northern Syria, from 1153 to 1160 or 1161, and as lord of Oultrejordain and Hebron, two strategic territories in southern Palestine, from 1175 to 1187. He was known for his daring raids, his defiance of truces, and his ruthless treatment of his enemies. He played a major role in provoking Saladin, the Muslim leader who united most of the Middle East under his rule, to launch a decisive campaign against the crusader states that resulted in their near collapse. He was captured and executed by Saladin after the disastrous Battle of Hattin in 1187. His life and deeds have been portrayed in various ways by different sources, ranging from admiration to condemnation. In this article, we will explore who Renaud de Chatillon was, what he did, and why he matters.
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Early life and arrival in the Holy Land
Renaud de Chatillon was born around 1125 in France. His exact place of birth is uncertain, but some historians suggest that he came from Châtillon-sur-Loing (now Châtillon-Coligny), a town near Orleans. His father was Hervé II, lord of Gien, Châtillon, and Donzy, a minor nobleman with modest lands and income. His mother's name is unknown. He had an older brother, Geoffroy III, who inherited most of their father's domains. Renaud, as a younger son, had little prospects of wealth or power in his homeland. He decided to join the Second Crusade, a large-scale military expedition launched by Pope Eugenius III in 1147 to recapture the city of Edessa, which had fallen to the Muslims in 1144. Renaud was one of the many young knights who hoped to find glory, adventure, and fortune in the Holy Land.
The Second Crusade was a failure. The crusaders suffered heavy losses and failed to achieve their main objective. Renaud, however, did not return to France. He stayed in the Kingdom of Jerusalem, one of the four crusader states that had been established after the First Crusade in 1099. He became a mercenary, serving in the royal army and fighting against the Muslim enemies of the kingdom. He proved himself to be a brave and skilled warrior, but also a reckless and ambitious one. He was always in need of money and willing to take risks to get it.
Prince of Antioch
In 1153, Renaud married Constance, the princess of Antioch, another crusader state that bordered the Kingdom of Jerusalem to the north. Antioch was a wealthy and powerful city, but it was also surrounded by hostile Muslim neighbors. Constance had been widowed twice before. Her first husband, Raymond of Poitiers, had been killed by the Turks at the Battle of Inab in 1149. Her second husband, Raymund of Poitou, had died of natural causes in 1152. She had two sons from her first marriage, Bohemond III and Raymond, who were still minors. She needed a strong and capable husband to protect her and her realm.
Renaud was not her first choice. She had initially asked King Baldwin III of Jerusalem to marry her, but he refused. She then turned to Renaud, who was eager to accept her offer. He saw in her a chance to become a prince and a ruler. However, their marriage was not welcomed by everyone. The nobles of Antioch resented Renaud's low birth and his foreign origin. They also feared that he would usurp their rights and privileges. They tried to prevent the wedding, but Renaud and Constance managed to overcome their opposition with the help of King Baldwin III, who supported their union.
As prince of Antioch, Renaud faced many challenges and enemies. He had to deal with the internal disputes and factions among his subjects. He had to defend his territory from the attacks of Nur ad-Din, the Muslim ruler of Aleppo and Damascus, who wanted to conquer Antioch and unite all Syria under his rule. He had to maintain good relations with his Christian allies, especially the Byzantine Empire, which claimed suzerainty over Antioch and demanded tribute and obedience from its princes.
Renaud did not handle these challenges well. He was more interested in enriching himself than in governing wisely. He imposed heavy taxes on his people and extorted money from anyone who crossed his path. He captured and tortured Aimery of Limoges, the Latin patriarch of Antioch, because Aimery had refused to pay him a subsidy. He launched a plundering raid on Cyprus in 1156, causing great destruction and suffering to the island's inhabitants, who were subjects of the Byzantine emperor Manuel I Komnenos.
This last act provoked the wrath of Manuel, who decided to intervene in Antioch's affairs. In 1158, he arrived at Antioch with a large army and demanded that Renaud submit to him and pay him compensation for his damages in Cyprus. Renaud had no choice but to comply. He knelt before Manuel and begged for his mercy. Manuel spared his life but humiliated him publicly. He forced him to walk barefoot and bareheaded through the streets of Antioch while holding the emperor's horse by its bridle. He also made him swear an oath of loyalty and fidelity to him.
Captivity and release
Renaud did not learn from his mistakes. In 1160 or 1161, he made another reckless raid in the valley of the river Euphrates at Marash (now Kahramanmaraş in Turkey) to seize booty from the local peasants. He did not realize that he was entering into Nur ad-Din's territory and that he was outnumbered by his forces. He was ambushed by Nur ad-Din's troops and taken prisoner.
Renaud spent the next 16 years in captivity. He was treated harshly by his captors, who regarded him as a notorious enemy of Islam. He was chained, beaten, starved, and mocked. He was moved from one prison to another, never knowing when or if he would be released or executed.
During his imprisonment, he OK, I'm continuing to write the article. Here is the rest of the article with HTML formatting: During his imprisonment, he lost his title of prince of Antioch. His wife Constance died in 1163 and was succeeded by her son Bohemond III, who had come of age. Renaud's fate was forgotten by most of his fellow crusaders, who had more pressing problems to deal with.
He was finally released in 1176, after the death of Nur ad-Din. His successor, Saladin, who had united Egypt and Syria under his rule, decided to free him as a gesture of goodwill towards the crusaders. He hoped to secure a lasting peace with them and to focus on his campaign against the Abbasid caliphate in Iraq. He also hoped to win Renaud's gratitude and friendship.
However, Renaud did not appreciate Saladin's generosity. He did not return to Antioch, where he had no place or power. He went to Jerusalem, where he offered his services to King Baldwin IV, who suffered from leprosy and needed loyal and experienced knights. Baldwin welcomed him and granted him the lordship of Hebron, a town south of Jerusalem that had been recently recaptured from the Muslims.
Lord of Oultrejordain and Hebron
In 1177, Renaud married Stephanie of Milly, the widow of Miles of Plancy, who had been lord of Oultrejordain and regent of Jerusalem until his assassination in 1174. Oultrejordain was a large and rich territory east of the Jordan river that included the castles of Kerak and Montreal. Stephanie was a wealthy and influential heiress who had inherited Oultrejordain from her first husband, Humphrey III of Toron. She had also been married to Raymond III of Tripoli, one of the most powerful nobles in the kingdom.
By marrying Stephanie, Renaud became lord of Oultrejordain and Hebron. He also gained a strong ally in Raymond III, who supported him against his rivals. He became one of the richest and most powerful lords in the kingdom. He controlled the caravan routes between Egypt and Syria, which were vital for trade and communication. He also controlled the access to the Red Sea and the Arabian Peninsula, which were important for pilgrimage and commerce.
Renaud used his position and resources to pursue his own interests and ambitions. He did not care about the common good or the welfare of his subjects. He exploited them with heavy taxes and harsh laws. He also disregarded the truces and treaties that the kings of Jerusalem had made with Saladin and other Muslim rulers. He attacked and plundered their caravans and territories whenever he had an opportunity. He justified his actions by saying that he was not bound by any agreement that he had not signed or approved.
War with Saladin
Renaud's raids provoked Saladin's anger and retaliation. Saladin vowed to capture or kill Renaud and to destroy his castles. He launched several campaigns against Oultrejordain and Hebron, but he could not dislodge Renaud from his strongholds. Renaud also proved to be a formidable adversary on the battlefield. In 1177, he led the crusader army that defeated Saladin at the Battle of Montgisard, near Ramla. He fought bravely and fiercely, killing many Muslims with his sword.
Renaud did not stop there. He decided to take his war against Saladin to a new level. In 1182, he built a fleet of five ships that sailed from Aqaba to the Red Sea coast. He raided the ports and towns of Egypt and Arabia, burning ships, killing people, and taking prisoners. He even threatened to attack Mecca and Medina, the holy cities of Islam, where millions of Muslim pilgrims were heading for the annual hajj.
This was an unprecedented and outrageous act that shocked and outraged the Muslim world. Saladin was furious and ashamed that he could not protect his lands and people from Renaud's attacks. He mobilized his forces and navy to chase Renaud's fleet and to secure the Red Sea coast. He also sent emissaries to the kings of Jerusalem and France, asking them to restrain Renaud or to disavow him as a rogue knight.
The kings of Jerusalem tried to distance themselves from Renaud's actions, but they could not control him or punish him. They needed him as an ally against Saladin's growing power and threat. They also shared his hostility and mistrust towards Saladin, who had broken several truces and treaties with them in the past. They did not want to make peace with him or to recognize his authority over Syria and Egypt.
Renaud also broke the truce that King Baldwin IV had made with Saladin in 1185. He attacked a large caravan that was travelling from Egypt to Syria, carrying goods and people, including Saladin's sister. He killed or captured many of the caravan's members and took their belongings. He also insulted Saladin's sister and treated her with disrespect.
This was the last straw for Saladin. He swore by Allah that he would kill Renaud himself and that he would not rest until he had conquered Jerusalem and wiped out the crusaders. He declared a jihad, or holy war, against the crusader states. He gathered a huge army from all over his domains and marched towards Palestine. He was determined to end Renaud's raids and to avenge his honor.
Death and legacy
In 1187, Renaud joined King Guy of Lusignan, who had succeeded Baldwin IV, and the other crusader lords to face Saladin's army near the Horns of Hattin, a pair of volcanic hills near Tiberias. The crusaders were outnumbered and outmaneuvered by Saladin's forces. They suffered from thirst, heat, and exhaustion. They were surrounded and massacred by the Muslims.
Renaud was among the few who survived the battle and were taken prisoner by Saladin. He was brought before Saladin's tent, along with King Guy and other captives. Saladin offered a drink to King Guy, who passed it to Renaud. Renaud drank from it, thinking that this meant that his life was spared.
He was wrong. Saladin rebuked him for his crimes and his treachery. He accused him of violating the truce, attacking the caravan, insulting his sister, raiding the Red Sea coast, and threatening Mecca and Medina. He said that he had sworn to kill him personally and that he would not break his oath.
He then drew his sword and struck Renaud on the head, killing him instantly. He ordered his guards to behead him and to throw his body into a ditch. He spared King Guy's life, saying that kings do not kill kings, but he kept him in captivity for a year.
Renaud's death marked the end of his career and his domain. His castles of Kerak and Montreal fell to Saladin soon after the Battle of Hattin. His wife Stephanie died in 1190. His daughter Agnes married Balian of Ibelin, a prominent crusader lord who negotiated the surrender of Jerusalem to Saladin in 1187.
Renaud's actions had a lasting impact on the history of the Crusades and the Middle East. He provoked Saladin to launch a decisive campaign against the crusader states that resulted in their near collapse. He also contributed to the polarization and radicalization of both sides, making any peaceful coexistence or compromise impossible.
Renaud is remembered in different ways by different sources and perspectives. The Latin chroniclers portray him as a brave and loyal knight who fought valiantly for Christendom against Islam. The Muslim historians depict him as a cruel and treacherous enemy who committed atrocities against Muslims. The modern historians evaluate him more critically, acknowledging his courage and skill but also his greed and ambition.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Renaud de Chatillon was a crusader prince and lord who played a major role in the Crusades between 1147 and 1187. He ruled as prince of Antioch from 1153 to 1160 or 1161, and as lord of Oultrejordain and Hebron from 1175 to 1187. He was known for his daring raids, his defiance of truces, and his ruthless treatment of his enemies. He provoked Saladin, the Muslim leader who united most of the Middle East under his rule, to launch a decisive campaign against the crusader states that resulted in their near collapse. He was captured and executed by Saladin after the disastrous Battle of Hattin in 1187.
Renaud de Chatillon's character and impact are controversial and debated. Some see him as a hero who defended Christendom against Islam. Others see him as a villain who harmed both Christians and Muslims with his actions. He was certainly a remarkable and influential figure in the history of the Crusades and the Middle East.
If you want to learn more about Renaud de Chatillon, you can explore some of these questions:
- What was Renaud de Chatillon's relationship with King Baldwin OK, I'm continuing to write the article. Here are the FAQs that I will add to the article: FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about Renaud de Chatillon and his role in the Crusades:
What was Renaud de Chatillon's relationship with King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem?
Renaud de Chatillon had a close and loyal relationship with King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem, who suffered from leprosy and needed experienced and trustworthy knights to support him. Baldwin granted Renaud the lordship of Hebron in 1176 and made him regen