County of Tripoli

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
This article is about the Crusader state Tripoli. For other uses, see Tripoli (disambiguation).

County of Tripoli
Comitatus Tripolitanus (
Old Provençal
)
1102–1289
Flag of Tripoli
Banner of arms of the House of Toulouse-Tripoli (derived from the arms)
Lucia
Historical eraHigh Middle Ages
• Established
1102
• Conquered by Qalawun
27 April 1289
Preceded by		 Succeeded by
Banu Ammar
Fatimid Caliphate
Mamluk Sultanate
Today part ofLebanon
Syria

The County of Tripoli (1102–1289) was one of the Crusader states.[1] It was founded in the Levant in the modern-day region of Tripoli, northern Lebanon and parts of western Syria.[1][2] When the

Mamluk Sultanate.

Capture by Christian forces

See also: Siege of Tripoli

crusaders.[3] Even so, after the First Crusade, he had failed to secure any land holdings in the Near East. Meanwhile, the County of Edessa, the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Principality of Antioch had been established.[4] Tripoli was an important strategic goal as it linked the French in the south with the Normans in the north. It was a fertile and well populated area.[5] In 1102, Raymond IV occupied Tortosa (now Tartus) and in 1103, he prepared, together with veterans of the 1101 crusade, to take Tripoli.[3][6]

Citadel of Tripoli

Main article: Citadel of Tripoli

On a natural ridge, which he named "Mons Peregrinus" (

Arabic
: قلعة طرابلس Qalʻat Ṭarābulus), formerly also known as the "Castle of Saint-Gilles" (Arabic: قلعة سان جيل Qalʻat Sān Jīl). Despite this new fortress and seasoned troops, Raymond IV's siege of Tripoli failed to secure the port. He died on 25 February 1105.

Succession

Bertrand of Toulouse.[7] Bertrand of Toulouse, who was supported by Baldwin I of Jerusalem, arrived in the Near East with a substantial army and a large Genoese fleet.[3]
In order to resolve the succession issue, Baldwin I created a partition treaty. It specified that William was to hold northern Tripoli and pay homage to Tancred, while Bertrand was to hold south Tripoli as a vassal of Baldwin.[4] Under a united Christian onslaught, Tripoli fell on 12 July 1109, completing the Kingdom of Jerusalem.[3] When William died of an arrow through the heart (some claim it was murder), Bertrand became the first count of Tripoli.[7]: 119 

Structure and devolution of power

See also: Vassals of the Kingdom of Jerusalem

Holdings and vassals

Arabic (1270–1300), and Tripoli silver gros (1275–1287). British Museum
.

The extent of the County of Tripoli was determined in part by pre-existing

Krac des Chevaliers fortress. The rich inland agricultural land of the Homs Gap was known as La Bocquée.[8]
The county was divided into 'lordships'; areas based roughly around its coastal ports. The count of Tripoli himself held the port of Tripoli and its surrounds. He also controlled the hostile region of Montferrand, now modern-day Bar'in, Syria, lying to the east.[3] Approximately one quarter of the land seized around Tripoli was given to the Genoese as payment for military aid. The Genoese admiral Guglielmo Embriaco was awarded the city of Byblos.[3]

Homage to the king

The County of Tripoli was an autonomous state.[9] Despite his contribution to its establishment, Baldwin I did not directly control the County of Tripoli. Nevertheless, the County of Tripoli owed fealty (allegiance) and homage (declarations of allegiance) to him, and he, in return, provided support to the county in times of trouble.[3]

Defence

Although occupying a narrow coastal plain, the mountain range beyond was a natural defensive line for Tripoli. Several castle forts were built to defend the mountain passes.[8] Muslim forces (Turk and Egyptian) attacked the County of Tripoli along its borders, especially those to the east.

Nosairi mountains to the north.[3] In 1144, in order to increase the county's defences, particularly against Zangi of Mosul, Raymond II gave the Knights Hospitaller large stretches of frontier land along the Buqai'ah plain.[10] This included the castles of Krak des Chevaliers, Anaz, Tell Kalakh, Qalaat el Felis and Mardabech.[2]: 30  In the 1150s, the defences were further strengthened by the presence of the Knights Templar at Tartus on the seashore.[11][12]

Religion

In religious matters, the counties of the Kingdom of Jerusalem were expected to follow the lead of the

Latin patriarch of Antioch. This was so even after a papal edict to the contrary.[3]

War with the Seljuk Empire

Shaizar

As a vassal of the

Battle of Shaizar
, their defence of the kingdom was successful.

Hab

In 1119, the Seljuk Empire again attacked Antioch, winning the

Battle of Ager Sanguinis. However, Count Pons of Tripoli and Baldwin II defended Antioch and, at the Battle of Hab
, successfully defended the flank of the Christian forces.

Azaz

In 1125, Count Pons of Tripoli marched against the Turks who had again attacked

Joscelin I of Edessa
lured the Turks from Azaz and into an ambush on the plains, where the Turkish forces were defeated.

Earthquake of 1170

On 29 June 1170, an earthquake struck the region. The defensive forts of

Nur al-Din and the county (unlike a previous less severe earthquake of 1157 where fighting continued).[14]

Contenders

Bertrand of Toulouse, son of Alphonso-Jordan

Crusader coin, County of Tripoli, c. 1230.
Crusader coin, County of Tripoli, c. 1230.

Alfonso Jordan (1103–1148) was the son of Raymond IV and his third wife, Elvira of Castile.[15] Although he was born in Tripoli, Alphonso-Jordan was raised in France. In 1147, he joined the Second Crusade, which was launched in response to the loss of the County of Edessa to Turkish forces. Alphonso died, possibly poisoned, in Caesarea, in 1148.[13] He had an illegitimate son, Bertrand of Toulouse, who continued his progress towards Tripoli.

Assassins. He was the first recorded non-Muslim victim of this sect.[3]

Guy II Embriaco

William of Beaujeu, opposed the succession of Bohemond VII.[16] Ernoul wrote, "This was the beginning of war between Bohemond VII and the Templars."[17]

Gibelet (Byblos). Grievances between them had led to enmity and this was part of a larger trade war between Genoa and the Venetians.[18]
The
Fort Nephin, Sidon and at sea.[16]
In 1282, Guy II Embriaco and the Templars were ambushed in Tripoli. Guy, his brothers, and cousins were imprisoned at Fort Nephin and left to starve; his followers were blinded and the Templars were summarily executed.

Benedetto I Zaccaria

After the death of Bohemond VII in 1287, the resulting power vacuum moved the lords of the County of Tripoli to offer Benedetto I Zaccaria (1235–1307), a powerful Genoese merchant, control of the county. In Tripoli, a special non-aristocratic social status had been granted to people from the great mercantile cities of Europe, especially those from the maritime republics of Italy (e.g., Venice).[6]: 172  The communes elected Bartholomew Embriaco to the role of Mayor of Tripoli. He also promoted trade with the Genoese. Bohemond VII had no issue. His mother, Sibylla of Armenia, was discounted in the succession because she was the friend of Bishop Bartholomew of Tortosa, considered an enemy of Tripoli. Bohemond VII's younger sister, Lucie, established herself at Fort Nephin with the support of the Knights Hospitaller. Eventually, Bartholomew Embriaco and the communes decided they could not rule, while Benedetto I Zaccario declined the countship. Thus, after negotiations, Lucie became Lucia, Countess of Tripoli in 1288.[19]

Fall to the Muslims

See also: Siege of Tripoli (1271) and Fall of Tripoli (1289)

Constant infighting, lack of resources, a series of poor harvests, changes to trade routes and the local economy and Muslim and Mongol military pressure led to the decline of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.[2]: 7  By the 1280s, only two crusader states remained; the remnants of Jerusalem and the County of Tripoli. Even though the Mamluk government of Egypt had a treaty with the county, in March 1289, Tripoli favoured an alliance with the Mongols and as a result Sultan Qalawun of Egypt attacked Tripoli. Despite desperate defense operations, the county fell and was merged with Qalawun's empire.[3]

Vassals of Tripoli

Counts of Tripoli

Main article: Count of Tripoli

Titular rulers of Tripoli after its fall to Egyptian forces:

Tripoli passes to the Kings of Cyprus and Jerusalem:

  • Peter I of Cyprus (1346–1359)
  • Peter II of Cyprus (1359–1369)
  • James of Lusignan (? – c. 1396), cousin
  • John of Lusignan (c. 1396 – c. 1430), son
  • Peter of Lusignan (c. 1430 – 1451), brother, Regent of Cyprus
  • Juan Tafures (1469–1473)

Great officers of Tripoli

Main article: Officers of the County of Tripoli

See also

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 978-1-4051-8471-7
    .
  2. ^
    ISBN 978-0-230-29083-9.[permanent dead link
    ‍]
  3. ^
    ISBN 978-0674030701
  4. ^
    ISBN 978-0-7425-3822-1
    .
  5. ^
    ISBN 978-0-521-79913-3
    .
  6. ^
    ISBN 978-0-299-09144-6
    .
  7. ^
    ISBN 978-0-85115-661-3
    .
  8. ^
    ISBN 978-1-84765-854-8
    .
  9. ISBN 978-0-521-01747-3
    .
  10. ^
    ISBN 978-0-203-96481-1
    .
  11. ISBN 978-0-8095-7221-2
    .
  12. ^ National Geographic Society (1931). The National Geographic Magazine. Vol. 59. National Geographic Society.
  13. ^
    ISBN 978-0-300-18931-5
    .
  14. ISBN 978-0-8137-2471-3
    .
  15. ISBN 978-0-85115-925-6
    .
  16. ^ a b c d History of the Templars – Barber
  17. ^ Estoire d'Eracles
  18. ISBN 978-3-515-06861-1
    .
  19. ISBN 978-0-521-83583-1
    .
Wikimedia Commons has media related to County of Tripoli.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=County_of_Tripoli&oldid=1284046924"