Outremer
King Baldwin III
Baldwin III was nineteen when he led an army north in 1149. He spent the next three years repeatedly having to save the situation there, as Nuradin pressed the Christians hard. By 1152 he was an experienced commander and widely respected not only as a warrior but as a king. Events had kept him so busy that it was not until this year that he was finally formally crowned King of Jerusalem.
In 1153, Baldwin launched a major attack on Ascalon, with an army large enough to invest the great city completely. The siege dragged on for months, with the Egyptians unable to challenge the Franks on land, but the Christians unable to gain superiority over the Egyptians at sea. But eventually the garrison realized that there was no rescue in sight. The city surrendered on August 10, on condition that the garrison be allowed to leave peacefully. This was allowed, and the Christians occupied the city, gaining a great store of treasure.
1153 thus marks the high-tide of Outremer, at least as far as the Kingdom of Jerusalem was concerned. The victory caused Damascus to reaffirm its friendship and it opened up the possibility of conquering Egypt. No one suspected at the time that within thirty-five years most of the Kingdom would be swept away.
But the signs were soon evident for those who could read them. The very next summer, Nuradin conquered Damascus. He did so with little bloodshed, for the citizens did not like their ruler and Nuradin's reputation was growing steadily. Even though Nuradin reaffirmed the treaty with the Kingdom for another three years, Damascus gave him the base he needed to realize his dream of sweeping the Christians into the sea.
In 1156 and 1157 a series of terrible earthquakes rocked the Near East. The worst hit northern Syria in August 1157. Antioch suffered terribly. The towns of Hama and of Homs were all but destroyed. At Shaizar, the family of the ruling emir was wiped out completely, except for one young princess. The devastation put a stop to military activities on both sides. The Muslims were further impeded by a severe illness that struck Nuradin in October 1157. He was sick for weeks, and nearly died. Although he recovered, he never again had the success in the field that he had enjoyed up until that time.
The final years of Baldwin's reign were split between small raids into Damascene territory and visits north to Tripoli and Antioch to settle various family matters. On his return from one of these trips in 1162, Baldwin fell ill. Although he was thirty-three and in good health, he continued to weaken. The king died February 10, 1162. He was widely regarded as a notable king and his passing was greatly mourned. Since he was childless, the crown passed to his brother, Amalric, Lord of Jaffa and Ascalon.