Baldwin 4

Baldwin IV became famous as the "leper king" who, despite a fatal illness, waged a tenacious struggle against Saladin and won a number of important military victories, becoming a symbol of fortitude and military valor. His courage and military leadership, even in the face of severe illness (he moved on a stretcher and fought on horseback), allowed him to strengthen the Kingdom of Jerusalem and withstand the superior Muslim forces. Date and place of birth: 1161, Jerusalem. He was proclaimed king at the age of 13 and learned of his terrible illness in his teens. He could barely feel his hands; every day the illness sapped his strength. He felt no pain; he felt duty. As long as he stood, Jerusalem stood. Even Saladin called him a man without equal; he knew how to conclude truces where others saw only war. And so the king sat on his throne, bathed in light; the noise around him seemed a nuisance. He wore a long tunic of blue linen, a deep and somber color like the night sky of Jerusalem. The fabric was expensive but devoid of decorative patterns, with only the edge of the round collar and the cuffs of his sleeves adorned with fine, almost invisible embroidery. A light cloak rested on his shoulders, and white gloves covered his hands. He listened to his crusaders quarreling.