Baldwin II of Jerusalem

Baldwin II
King of Jerusalem
A 19th century depiction of Baldwin II.
Reign	14 April 1118 – 21 August 1131
Coronation	14 April 1118
Predecessor	Baldwin I
Successor	Melisende
Born	1060 France
Died	21 August 1131 (aged 70-71) Jerusalem
Burial	Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem
Spouse	Morphia of Melitene
Issue	Melisende of Jerusalem Alice of Antioch Hodierna of Tripoli Ioveta of Bethany
House	House of Rethel
Father	Hugh I, Count of Rethel
Mother	Melisende of Montlhéry (10??–1118)

Baldwin II (French: Baudouin, also called Baldwin of Bourcq or Bourg; died 21 August 1131) was the second count of Edessa from 1100 to 1118, and the third ruler of Jerusalem from 1118 until his death.

Baldwin was the son of Hugh I, Count of Rethel, and his wife Melisende, daughter of Guy I of Montlhéry. He had two older brothers, Gervaise and Manasses, and two sisters Matilda and Hodierna. Baldwin was called a cousin of the brothers Eustace III of Boulogne, Godfrey of Bouillon, and Baldwin of Boulogne, but the exact manner in which they are related has never been discovered. Some books (in particular Steven Runciman's History of the Crusades) have claimed a fictitious Ida of Boulogne as grandmother to Baldwin II in order to force the relationship. While Ida of Boulogne did exist, neither of Baldwin's parents were her descendants. He left his own family behind to follow his cousins on the First Crusade in 1096 as part of the army of Godfrey of Bouillon.

In the aftermath of the crusade, Baldwin of Boulogne became the first count of Edessa, while Baldwin of Bourcq entered the service of Bohemund of Taranto, Prince of Antioch, acting as an ambassador between Antioch and Edessa. Baldwin of Bourcq also became regent of the Principality, when Bohemund was taken prisoner by the Danishmends in 1100. That year, Baldwin of Boulogne was elected king of Jerusalem upon the death of Godfrey, and Baldwin of Bourcq was appointed count of Edessa in his stead. As count, in 1101 Baldwin married Morphia of Melitene, the daughter of the Armenian prince Gabriel of Melitene. He also helped ransom Bohemund from the Danishmends, preferring Bohemund to his nephew Tancred, who was now regent.