County of Tripoli | |||||||||||
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| 1102–1289 | |||||||||||
  Arms of theHouse of Toulouse-Tripoli | |||||||||||
Attributed arms of the County of Tripoli | |||||||||||
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| Status | Vassal of, theKingdom of Jerusalem, thePrincipality of Antioch and theMongol Empire | ||||||||||
| Capital | Tortosa (1102–1109),Tripoli (1109–1289) | ||||||||||
| Common languages | Latin,Aramaic (Maronite),Old French,Old Occitan,Italian,Arabic,Greek,Sabir | ||||||||||
| Religion | Latin Church (among nobles) Maronite Church andEastern Orthodox Church (Among general populace) Oriental Orthodoxy,Islam, andJudaism minority | ||||||||||
| Government | Feudal monarchy | ||||||||||
| Count of Tripoli | |||||||||||
• 1102–1105(first) | Raymond I | ||||||||||
• 1287–1289(last) | Lucia | ||||||||||
| Historical era | High Middle Ages | ||||||||||
• Established | 1102 | ||||||||||
• Conquered byQalawun | 27 April 1289 | ||||||||||
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| Today part of | Lebanon Syria | ||||||||||
TheCounty of Tripoli (1102–1289) was one of theCrusader states.[1] It was founded in theLevant in the modern-day region ofTripoli, northernLebanon and parts of westernSyria.[1][2]When theFrankish Crusaders, mostlysouthern French forces – captured the region in 1109,Bertrand of Toulouse became the first count of Tripoli as avassal of KingBaldwin I of Jerusalem. From that time on, the rule of the county was decided not strictly by inheritance but by factors such as military force (external andcivil war), favour and negotiation. In 1289, the County of Tripoli fell to the MuslimMamluks ofCairo under SultanQalawun, and the county was absorbed intoMamluk Sultanate.
Raymond IV of Toulouse was one of the wealthiest and most powerful of thecrusaders.[3] Even so, after theFirst Crusade, he had failed to secure any land holdings in theNear East. Meanwhile, theCounty of Edessa, theKingdom of Jerusalem and thePrincipality of Antioch had been established.[4] Tripoli was an important strategic goal as it linked theFrench in the south with theNormans in the north. It was a fertile and well populated area.[5] In 1102, Raymond IV occupied Tortosa (nowTartus) and in 1103, he prepared, together with veterans of the1101 crusade, to take Tripoli.[3][6]
On a natural ridge, which he named "Mons Peregrinus" (French:Mont Pèlerin, English:Mount Pilgrim), 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) from Tripoli, Raymond IV (also known as Raymond de Saint-Gilles) began the construction of a large fortress, theCitadel of Tripoli (Arabic:قلعة طرابلسQalʻat Ṭarābulus), formerly also known as the "Castle of Saint-Gilles" (Arabic:قلعة سان جيلQalʻat Sān Jīl). Despite this new fortress and seasoned troops, Raymond IV's siege of Tripoli failed to secure the port. He died on 25 February 1105.
Count William of Cerdagne, Raymond IV's cousin and comrade, was supported byTancred, Prince of Galilee, but his succession in the Tripoli campaign was challenged by Raymond IV's illegitimate son,Bertrand of Toulouse.[7] Bertrand of Toulouse, who was supported byBaldwin I of Jerusalem, arrived in theNear East with a substantial army and a largeGenoese fleet.[3]In order to resolve the succession issue, Baldwin I created a partition treaty. It specified that William was to hold northern Tripoli and pay homage to Tancred, while Bertrand was to hold south Tripoli as a vassal of Baldwin.[4] Under a united Christian onslaught, Tripoli fell on 12 July 1109, completing theKingdom of Jerusalem.[3] When William died of an arrow through the heart (some claim it was murder), Bertrand became the first count of Tripoli.[7]: 119
The extent of the County of Tripoli was determined in part by pre-existingByzantine borders and in part by victory in battle, tempered by the demands of neighbouring crusader states. At its height, the county controlled the coastline fromMaraclea in the north toBeirut in the south. Inland, the county's control extended to theKrac des Chevaliers fortress. The rich inland agricultural land of theHoms Gap was known as La Bocquée.[8] The county was divided into 'lordships'; areas based roughly around its coastal ports. The count of Tripoli himself held the port of Tripoli and its surrounds. He also controlled the hostile region ofMontferrand, now modern-day Bar'in,Syria, lying to the east.[3] Approximately one quarter of the land seized around Tripoli was given to theGenoese as payment for military aid. The Genoese admiralGuglielmo Embriaco was awarded the city ofByblos.[3]
The County of Tripoli was an autonomous state.[9] Despite his contribution to its establishment, Baldwin I did not directly control the County of Tripoli. Nevertheless, the County of Tripoli owedfealty (allegiance) andhomage (declarations of allegiance) to him, and he, in return, provided support to the county in times of trouble.[3]
Although occupying a narrow coastal plain, the mountain range beyond was a natural defensive line for Tripoli. Several castle forts were built to defend the mountain passes.[8]Muslim forces (Turk and Egyptian) attacked the County of Tripoli along its borders, especially those to the east.[5]: 73 In 1137,Raymond II, the reigning count, lost control of Montferrand.[3] The Muslim position strengthened when theHashshashin (Nizari Ismailis) forces formed in theNosairi mountains to the north.[3] In 1144, in order to increase the county's defences, particularly against Zangi of Mosul, Raymond II gave theKnights Hospitaller large stretches of frontier land along the Buqai'ah plain.[10] This included the castles ofKrak des Chevaliers, Anaz, Tell Kalakh, Qalaat el Felis and Mardabech.[2]: 30 In the 1150s, the defences were further strengthened by the presence of theKnights Templar atTartus on the seashore.[11][12]
In religious matters, the counties of the Kingdom of Jerusalem were expected to follow the lead of theLatin patriarch of Jerusalem. However, CountPons had formed an alliance withAntioch, and acknowledged theLatin patriarch of Antioch. This was so even after a papal edict to the contrary.[3]
As a vassal of thekings of Jerusalem,Bertrand of Tripoli was drawn into war with theSeljuk Turks. In 1111,Mawdud, a Turkish military leader, campaigned againstAntioch andEdessa. Count Bertrand of Tripoli and KingBaldwin I of Jerusalem marched to defend the Christians in the north. In joining PrinceTancred of Galilee and CountBaldwin II of Edessa at theBattle of Shaizar, their defence of the kingdom was successful.
In 1119, the Seljuk Empire again attacked Antioch, winning theBattle of Ager Sanguinis. However, Count Pons of Tripoli andBaldwin II defended Antioch and, at theBattle of Hab, successfully defended the flank of the Christian forces.
In 1125, Count Pons of Tripoli marched against the Turks who had again attackedEdessa, this time besieging the town ofAzaz. Pons of Tripoli, Baldwin II and CountJoscelin I of Edessa lured the Turks from Azaz and into an ambush on the plains, where the Turkish forces were defeated.
On 29 June 1170, an earthquake struck the region. The defensive forts ofKrac des Chevaliers, Chastel Blanc[10]: 236 and al-'Ariymah were damaged. The cathedral of St Mary in Tripoli township was destroyed.[13] The earthquake of 1170 resulted in a brief truce betweenNur al-Din and the county (unlike a previous less severe earthquake of 1157 where fighting continued).[14]
Alfonso Jordan (1103–1148) was the son of Raymond IV and his third wife,Elvira of Castile.[15] Although he was born in Tripoli, Alphonso-Jordan was raised in France. In 1147, he joined theSecond Crusade, which was launched in response to the loss of the County of Edessa to Turkish forces. Alphonso died, possibly poisoned, inCaesarea, in 1148.[13] He had an illegitimate son, Bertrand of Toulouse, who continued his progress towards Tripoli.Count Raymond II (1115–1152), the grandson of Bertrand, Count of Tripoli, engaged his enemies,Nur al-Din andUnur of Damascus, to confront his cousin, Bertrand. The Turkish forces, having only recently battled Raymond II at theSiege of Damascus, attacked the castle ofArima (al-Ariymah).[10]: 224 They captured Bertrand of Toulouse, who spent the following decade in Muslim prisons. He was released in 1159 following the intervention ofManuel Komnenos, emperor of Byzantium.[13]: 197 Raymond II later regained Arima. In 1152, Raymond II was killed by theAssassins. He was the first recorded non-Muslim victim of this sect.[3]
Bohemond VII (1261 – 19 October 1287) was Count of Tripoli and the nominal Prince of Antioch from 1275 until his death. From 1275 to 1277,Bartholomew, Bishop of Tortosa, was Bohemond VII's regent.[16]Paul of Segni,Bishop of Tripoli, who was a friend of the Templar Grandmaster,William of Beaujeu, opposed the succession of Bohemond VII.[16]Ernoul wrote, "This was the beginning of war between Bohemond VII and the Templars."[17]
Guy II Embriaco (1277–1282) was a former vassal of Bohemond VII inGibelet (Byblos). Grievances between them had led to enmity and this was part of a larger trade war betweenGenoa and theVenetians.[18]TheTemplars sought to unseat Bohemond VII by supporting Guy II Embriaco. Bohemond VII responded by sacking the Templar house in Tripoli and forests at Montroque.[16] This action led to indecisive fighting over the following months at Botron,Fort Nephin,Sidon and at sea.[16] In 1282, Guy II Embriaco and the Templars were ambushed in Tripoli. Guy, his brothers, and cousins were imprisoned at Fort Nephin and left to starve; his followers were blinded and the Templars were summarily executed.
After the death of Bohemond VII in 1287, the resultingpower vacuum moved the lords of the County of Tripoli to offerBenedetto I Zaccaria (1235–1307), a powerful Genoese merchant, control of the county. In Tripoli, a special non-aristocraticsocial status had been granted to people from the great mercantile cities of Europe, especially those from the maritime republics of Italy (e.g., Venice).[6]: 172 The communes elected Bartholomew Embriaco to the role of Mayor of Tripoli. He also promoted trade with the Genoese.Bohemond VII had no issue. His mother,Sibylla of Armenia, was discounted in the succession because she was the friend of Bishop Bartholomew of Tortosa, considered an enemy of Tripoli. Bohemond VII's younger sister, Lucie, established herself at Fort Nephin with the support of theKnights Hospitaller. Eventually, Bartholomew Embriaco and the communes decided they could not rule, while Benedetto I Zaccario declined the countship. Thus, after negotiations, Lucie becameLucia, Countess of Tripoli in 1288.[19]
Constant infighting, lack of resources, a series of poor harvests, changes to trade routes and the local economy and Muslim and Mongol military pressure led to the decline of theKingdom of Jerusalem.[2]: 7 By the 1280s, only two crusader states remained; the remnants of Jerusalem and the County of Tripoli. Even though theMamluk government ofEgypt had a treaty with the county, in March 1289, Tripoli favoured an alliance with the Mongols and as a resultSultan Qalawun of Egypt attacked Tripoli. Despite desperate defense operations, the county fell and was merged with Qalawun's empire.[3]
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Titular rulers of Tripoli after its fall to Egyptian forces:
Tripoli passes to the Kings of Cyprus and Jerusalem:
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