Principality of Galilee
| Principality of Galilee | ||||||||||
| Vassal of Kingdom of Jerusalem | ||||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Capital | Tiberias | |||||||||
| Languages | Latin, Old French, Italian (also Arabic and Greek) | |||||||||
| Religion | Roman Catholicism, Greek Orthodoxy, Syrian Orthodoxy, Islam, Judaism | |||||||||
| Government | Feudal monarchy | |||||||||
| King | ||||||||||
| • | 1099–1101 | Tancred | ||||||||
| • | 1174–1187 | Raymond III | ||||||||
| Historical era | High Middle Ages | |||||||||
| • | First Crusade | 1099 | ||||||||
| • | Conquered by Saladin | 1187 | ||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Warning: Value specified for "" | ||||||||||
The Principality of Galilee was one of the four major seigneuries of the crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem, according to 13th-century commentator John of Ibelin. The direct holdings of the principality were around Tiberias, in Galilee proper, but with all its vassals, the lordship covered all Galilee and southern Phoenicia (today Lebanon). The lordship of Galilee had a disproportionate number of sub-vassals. The independent Sidon was located between Galilee's holdings. There are reasons to doubt Galilee's position as overlord of some of those.
The principality was established, at least in name, in 1099 when Tancred was given Tiberias, Haifa, and Bethsan by Godfrey of Bouillon. In 1101 Baldwin I limited Tancred's power by giving Haifa to Galdemar Carpenel, and Tancred was forced to give up the principality and become regent in Antioch. The principality became the fief of the families of St. Omer, Montfaucon (Falcomberques), and then Bures, and its main seat was in Tiberias; thus it was sometimes also called the Principality of Tiberias or the Tiberiad. The Principality was destroyed by Saladin in 1187, although the title was used as dignity by relatives and younger sons of the kings of Cyprus (the titular kings of Jerusalem) afterwards.
The Principality also had its own vassals: the Lordships of Beirut, Nazareth, and Haifa. Each of these in turn often had their own sub-vassals. Their number and the size and significance of some were disproportionate.
...
Wikipedia