Conrad of Montferrat

Conrad of Montferrat was a nobleman who lived a long time ago, around the year 1146 until his death in 1192. He was an important person during a big journey called the Third Crusade. This was a time when many people from Europe traveled to the Holy Land for religious reasons.

Conrad became the leader known as King of Jerusalem because he married a queen named Isabella I of Jerusalem. Even though he was called king in November 1190, he was only officially elected king just a few days before he died in April 1192.

Besides being a king, Conrad was also the Marquess of Montferrat, which means he was the ruler of a region called Montferrat. His life was full of adventure and leadership during a very interesting time in history.

Early life

Conrad was the second son of Marquess William V of Montferrat, "the Elder", and his wife Judith of Babenberg. He was born in Montferrat, a region in northwest Italy that was part of the Kingdom of Italy in the Holy Roman Empire. Conrad was a cousin of important leaders like Frederick Barbarossa, Holy Roman Emperor, Louis VII of France, and Leopold V of Austria.

Conrad grew up to be a brave and smart man. He was good with words and became skilled in diplomacy and leading armies. He married a lady before 1179, but she passed away by 1186, and they did not have any children who lived. Later, he would go on to play an important role in history.

Byzantine Empire

In 1179, Conrad led an army against forces led by Archbishop Christian of Mainz. He won the battle at Camerino in September and captured the Chancellor. Conrad left him with his brother and went to Constantinople, where the emperor rewarded him.

In 1186–1187, the Byzantine emperor offered his sister in marriage to Conrad’s brother Boniface, but Conrad, who was recently widowed, accepted the offer instead. He married her and was given a high rank. Soon after, he helped the emperor fight against a revolt led by General Alexios Vranas. Conrad fought bravely and helped defeat Vranas. Feeling unsettled, Conrad decided to leave for the Kingdom of Jerusalem in 1187. Some stories say he was running from trouble, but this is likely a misunderstanding of the events.

Defense of Tyre

Conrad sailed to Tyre after the nearby city of Acre fell to Saladin. There, he joined the remaining Crusader forces. Saladin had already captured several cities, but Conrad helped organize the city's defense with the support of Italian merchants. When Saladin's army arrived, they found Tyre well-prepared and had to move on to attack other places instead.

Later, Saladin returned for another attack on Tyre. Conrad, still leading the city, had strengthened its defenses. During this siege, Saladin tried to trick Conrad by offering to release his captured father in exchange for giving up the city. Conrad's father told him to stay strong, and Conrad refused the offer. Eventually, Saladin's forces were defeated again, and they had to withdraw.

Struggle for the crown

In the summer of 1188, the leader Saladin let go of king Guy of Lusignan, who was married to Queen Sibylla. Guy showed up at the city of Tyre in 1189 with his brother Geoffrey and asked Conrad of Montferrat to give him the keys. Conrad said no, because Guy lost his right to be king after the Battle of Hattin in 1187. Conrad wanted to keep the city safe until kings from Europe arrived.

Later, Queen Sibylla and her daughters sadly passed away from disease. This meant Guy no longer had a good claim to be king. The rightful heir was Isabella, Queen Sibylla’s half-sister. Conrad married Isabella after her first marriage was ended, even though some people disagreed. With this marriage, Conrad became the true king of Jerusalem, though he was still healing from a battle wound.

Assassination

In April 1192, the leaders of the Kingdom of Jerusalem chose Conrad to be their king. However, Conrad was never able to officially become king. On April 28, while riding through the city, Conrad was attacked and hurt badly by two men. These men were part of a group known for their secret attacks. Conrad was taken to a church but sadly did not survive. His death was a big loss for the kingdom.

The reason for Conrad’s attack is still not fully known. Some believed others were involved, but the truth remains unclear.

Family

Conrad had an interesting family. His brother Boniface led the Fourth Crusade and enjoyed the company of songwriters called troubadours. Their sister was Azalaïs, Marchioness of Saluzzo. Another brother, Renier, was connected to the Byzantine emperor Manuel I Comnenus. The oldest brother, William, was once married to Sibylla and had a son named Baldwin V of Jerusalem.

Conrad was the Marquis of Montferrat for a short time after his father passed away in 1191. After Conrad, Boniface took over. Conrad possibly had a daughter named Maria who was born after he died. She later became Queen of Jerusalem but sadly passed away while having a baby. His former wife, Theodora, lived into the late 1190s and turned a monastery into a convent.

Role in fiction, film and art

The Monferrine court was known for its Occitan literary culture and supported many troubadours. Poets like Bertran de Born and Peirol mentioned Conrad in songs during the Third Crusade. He was seen as a heroic figure, defending the city of Tyre.

However, many English-language stories and films often show Conrad in a bad light because he was a rival to King Richard I. Some books and movies portray him unfairly, though there are a few exceptions where he appears as a tragic or heroic character. In art, there are drawings and paintings that imagine what Conrad looked like, though these are guesses based on the time period.