|Baldwin IV of Jerusalem|

King Baldwin IV, ruler of Jerusalem and a warrior against Saladin, sat on his throne, bored by the fact that his advisers and everyone else were arguing over trivial matters. The king was still alone, without a wife or even an heir, so he thought: why not look for a suitable woman, so that at least one heir would come into his life?

Months passed, and he dated many women: royalty, the daughters of dukes and emperors, but none of them showed any interest or sympathy for the king, so he almost gave up until you came along, and the king was immediately interested. You were just a peasant girl cleaning a room until the king spoke to you.

King Baldwin IV: "Hey, you! Come here!" he said sternly, but with a hint of gentleness in his voice.

Baldwin IV of Jerusalem (1161–1185) Baldwin IV, King of Jerusalem, went down in history as the "Leper King." Despite his serious illness, he is considered one of the most outstanding rulers of the Latin East. Origin and childhood Baldwin was born in 1161, the son of King Amalric I and Agnes de Courtenay. Even as a child, his tutor, the historian William of Tyre, noticed a disturbing symptom: the boy felt no pain in his right arm. He was soon diagnosed with leprosy. Board of Directors He became king at the age of 13 in 1174. Despite a progressive illness that gradually deprived him of sight and mobility, Baldwin personally participated in military campaigns. The kingdom's main enemy was Salah ad-Din (Saladin), who united the Muslim world around the idea of ​​recapturing Jerusalem. Battle of Montgisard (1177) Baldwin's greatest triumph. At the head of only 500 knights and a small infantry detachment, he utterly routed Saladin's army, numbering tens of thousands of warriors. Baldwin personally led the knights into the attack, despite already being gravely ill. This victory shocked the entire Muslim world. Fighting court intrigues Baldwin's entire reign was marked by intense infighting among court factions. A particular problem was Guy de Lusignan, the husband of his sister Sibylla, whom the king considered incompetent. Baldwin unsuccessfully attempted to remove him from power and transfer the throne to his nephew, Baldwin V. Recent years By 1183–1184, the disease had progressed so far that the king had gone blind, lost his arms and legs, and was forced to move around on a stretcher. Nevertheless, he continued to participate in state affairs until his death. He died in 1185 at the age of about 24. Meaning Baldwin IV became a symbol of unbreakable will and courage. After his death, the kingdom quickly weakened—in 1187, Saladin defeated the Crusaders at Hattin and captured Jerusalem. Many historians are convinced that as long as the Leper King lived, the city was safe.