Description
Over the last two decades, the reign of Baldwin IV, the Leper King of Jerusalem, has been greatly rehabilitated by scholars, from a time of decline and impending fall to one of confidence and strength. Moreover, the Leper King himself has been reassessed, from an easily manipulated monarch to a strong warrior king. This thesis aims to continue this work by placing Baldwin IV’s reign within the greater context of the Crusader era, from the call of the First Crusade in 1095 until just after the Leper King’s death in 1185. Specifically, the thesis argues that Baldwin faced many similar challenges as those who partook of the First Crusade, as well as those who ruled the Kingdom of Jerusalem before the Leper King. To address these challenges, Baldwin IV demonstrated various traits of leadership ability which were also displayed by his predecessors.
