Biography of Almaric I King Jerusalem 1136-1174

Paternal Family Tree: Anjou aka Plantagenet

In 1110 [his father] Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem [aged 21] and Ermengarde of Maine Countess of Anjou were married. She by marriage Countess Anjou. She the daughter of Elias I Count Maine and Matilda Chateau Du Loir Countess Maine. He the son of [his grandfather] Fulk "Réchin" Anjou 4th Count Anjou and [his grandmother] Bertrade Montfort Queen Consort France [aged 40]. They were third cousin twice removed.

On 2nd June 1129 Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem [aged 40] and Melisende Queen of Jerusalem [aged 24] were married at Jerusalem [Map]. She by marriage Countess Anjou. Her father [aged 54] had written to Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem requesting the marriage since he had no male heirs. She the daughter of Baldwin II King Jerusalem. He the son of Fulk "Réchin" Anjou 4th Count Anjou and Bertrade Montfort Queen Consort France.

In 1136 Almaric I King Jerusalem was born to [his father] Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem [aged 47] and [his mother] Melisende Queen of Jerusalem [aged 31].

In 1143 [his brother] Baldwin III King Jerusalem [aged 13] was appointed III King Jerusalem.

On 13th November 1143 [his father] Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem [aged 54] died in a hunting accident. His wife [his mother] Melisende Queen of Jerusalem [aged 38] continued to reign in her own right with their son [his brother] Baldwin III King Jerusalem [aged 13].

In 1144 [his half-brother] Geoffrey Plantagenet Duke Normandy [aged 30] by conquest Duke Normandy. [his sister-in-law] Empress Matilda [aged 41] by marriage Duchess Normandy.

On 7th September 1151 [his half-brother] Geoffrey Plantagenet Duke Normandy [aged 38] died at Château du Loir [Map]. He was buried at St Julien's Cathedral [Map].

In 1157 Almaric I King Jerusalem [aged 21] and Agnes Courtenay Queen Jerusalem [aged 21] were married. She by marriage Queen Jerusalem. She the daughter of Joscelin Courtenay II Count Edessa. He the son of Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem and Melisende Queen of Jerusalem [aged 52]. They were third cousins.

In 1159 [his father-in-law] Joscelin Courtenay II Count Edessa died. His son [his brother-in-law] Joscelin succeeded III Count Edessa.

In 1160 [his daughter] Sibylla Anjou Queen Jerusalem was born to Almaric I King Jerusalem [aged 24] and [his wife] Agnes Courtenay Queen Jerusalem [aged 24]. She married (1) William Montferrat and had issue (2) August 1186 Guy I King Jerusalem.

The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy

The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.

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In 1161 [his son] Baldwin IV King Jerusalem was born to Almaric I King Jerusalem [aged 25] and [his wife] Agnes Courtenay Queen Jerusalem [aged 25] at Jerusalem [Map].

On 11th September 1161 [his mother] Melisende Queen of Jerusalem [aged 56] died. Her son [his brother] Baldwin [aged 31] succeeded King Jerusalem.

Baldwin III King Jerusalem Dies Almaric I King Jerusalem Succeeds

On 10th February 1163 Baldwin III King Jerusalem [aged 33] died at Beirut. His brother Almaric [aged 27] succeeded I King Jerusalem.

In 1165 [his half-sister] Sibylla Anjou Countess Essex [aged 53] died.

In 1167 Almaric I King Jerusalem [aged 31] and Maria Komnenos Queen Jerusalem [aged 13] were married. She by marriage Queen Jerusalem. He the son of Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem and Melisende Queen of Jerusalem.

In 1172 [his daughter] Isabella Anjou Queen Jerusalem was born to Almaric I King Jerusalem [aged 36] and [his wife] Maria Komnenos Queen Jerusalem [aged 18]. She married (1) 1190 Conrad of Montferrat King of Jerusalem (2) 6th May 1192 her half third cousin twice removed Henry Blois II Count Champagne, son of Henry Blois I Count Champagne and Marie Capet Countess Champagne.

On 11th July 1174 Almaric I King Jerusalem [aged 38] died. His son Baldwin [aged 13] succeeded IV King Jerusalem.

Annals of Six Kings of England by Nicholas Trivet [1258-1328]. When he arrived at Rouen with a multitude of Welshmen, he sent them across the Seine to plunder provisions in the forests, supplies that were being carried to the army of the French. The French, therefore, fearing the king on one side and the Welsh on the other, came to the king of England to discuss peace. Rejoicing at this, the king appointed the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin as the date for restoring peace, to be held at Gisors. On the vigil [14th August 1174] of the Assumption of the Blessed Mary, the French army abandoned the siege of Rouen and withdrew. When the appointed time for restoring peace arrived, the two sides met, but accomplished nothing; instead they set another meeting for the Feast of St. Michael [20th September 1174] near the city of Tours. When they met again at that place and time, peace was finally achieved, and the three sons of the king humbly submitted themselves to their father. The king of France and the count of Flanders restored to the king of England the strongholds they had seized in Normandy. After the Feast of St. John, Amalric^{ENDNOTE 1}, king of Jerusalem, died, and his son Baldwin IV succeeded him. Noradin, king of Aleppo, also died, and his son succeeded him—born of the sister of the count of Saint-Gilles, whom Noradin had taken captive during the expedition to Jerusalem. She and her son, having received a truce from the king of Jerusalem for seven years, promised him a very large sum of gold. Saraguntat, Noradin's nephew, killed the admiral of Babylon and became ruler both of Babylon and Alexandria. John of Oxford, dean of Salisbury, was elected bishop of Norwich.

Veniens autem Rothomagum cum multitudine Wallensium, misit eos trans Secanam, ut in nemoribus victualia diriperent, quæ ad Francorum exercitum vehebantur. Franci itaque, ex una parte timentes regem, et ex parte alia Wallenses, ad regem Anglorum de pace conveniunt locuturi. Super quo lætatus rex, terminum reformandæ pacis, apud Gisortium, statuit festum Nativitatis Virginis gloriosæ. In vigilia vero Assumptionis beatæ Mariæ, omissa obsidione Rothomagi, exercitus Francorum discessit. Adveniente termino reformandæ pacis convenerunt partes, sed nihil proficientes alium terminum in festo S. Michaelis juxta civitatem Turonis statuerunt. Quibus die et loco iterum convenientes, pax proHis three venit, et tres regis filii patri suo se humiliter subto him. diderunt. Rex autem Francorum et comes Flandriæ firmitates, quas in Normannia ceperant, regi Angliæ reddiderunt. Post festum S. Joannis moritur Almaricus rex Jerusalem, successitque filius ejus Baldewinus quartus. Obiit etiam Noradinus rex Halapiæ, et successit filius ejus, natus ex sorore comitis S. Ægidii, quam in itinere Ierosolymitano captivam acceperat. Ipsa vero et filius ejus, acceptis induciis a rege Jerusalem usque ad septennium, promiserunt ei plurimam summam auri. Saraguntat, Noradini nepos, occidit amiralium Babyloniæ, tam Babyloniæ quam Alexandriæ princeps factus. Joannes Oxoniensis, Saresberiensis decanus, ad episcopatum eligitur Norwicensem.

Note 1. Almaric, King of Jerusalem, died on 11th July 1174. He was succeeded by his son Baldwin IV.

Around 1184 [his former wife] Agnes Courtenay Queen Jerusalem [aged 48] died.

In 1217 [his former wife] Maria Komnenos Queen Jerusalem [aged 63] died.