Raymond III of Tripoli

Raymond III of Tripoli (c. 1140 or 1142–1187) was Count of Tripoli from 1152 to 1187 and Prince of Galilee and Tiberias in the right of his wife Eschiva. He succeeded his father Raymond II, who had been killed by the Hashshashin, and Hodierna of Jerusalem, who ruled as regent until Raymond came of age.

In 1164 Raymond was captured by Nur ad-Din and remained in prison until 1174. During this time King Amalric ruled as regent of Tripoli. When Raymond was released he became regent for Baldwin IV, who was still too young to rule on his own; he replaced Miles of Plancy, who had unofficially acted as regent until his assassination. Raymond was the first cousin of Amalric I (thus, one of the closest male relatives), and, regarding availability, geographically closest prince for the task.

Raymond also married Eschiva of Bures, Princess of Galilee and the widow of Walter of Tiberias, which allowed him to gain control over much of the northern part of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, especially the fortress at Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee. As regent, he appointed William of Tyre chancellor of Jerusalem in 1174 and archbishop of Tyre in 1175. He retired as regent when Baldwin IV was old enough to rule in 1176, though he still had some influence over the king, and in 1177 he arranged for Baldwin IV's sister Sibylla of Jerusalem to marry William of Montferrat. William died later in the year while Sibylla was pregnant with the future Baldwin V.

Raymond also was drawn into the developing strife in the kingdom. Economically, the opposing sides were the established barons who drew regular income from their holdings, and the new crusaders, who wanted war spoils. Socially, these were arranged as a baronial party and a court party, the royal court being the best source of favor, military commands and other opportunities to become rich. The baronial party appreciated more peaceful relations, trade, and at least peaceful enjoyment of their agricultural incomes. Dynastically, Dowager Queen Maria Comnena was drawn to the baronial party, mostly because of her second marriage, drawing with her the young princess Isabella who was the uncontestedly legitimate child of Amalric I and when growing from childhood, yet a better prospect for the throne. Court party supported the insider circle of the then royal family, for example counting on the succession of Sibylla, the elder daughter of Amalric I who was born of an annulled marriage, and only being legitimated but not undisputably legitimate heiress.

As the great-grandson of Raymond I, Raymond III represented the long-established families who had arrived during the First Crusade, and who had since adapted to the land and its customs. He preferred a policy of good relations with the Muslims, with whom he had become friendly during his captivity, but he frequently came into conflict with the newer Crusaders, such as Raynald of Chatillon and Guy of Lusignan, as well as members of the military orders of the Knights Hospitaller and the Knights Templar, who had arrived more recently and wished to fight the Muslims wherever and whenever possible.

In 1184 Raymond struggled with Guy for control of the regency for Baldwin IV, who was by now incapacitated by his leprosy. Raymond won this struggle, with a guarantee that he would remain regent for 10 years, and would have possession of Beirut. However, Raymond then passed control of the regency to Joscelin III of Courtenay, the king's maternal uncle. Baldwin IV died in 1185, and the child Baldwin V died soon after in 1186. According to Baldwin IV's will, ratified by Haute Cour, the 10-year period was to begin and the monarch was to be decided by a designed process, between Sibylla and Isabella - thus making the path more difficult for Sibylla and Guy. Joscelin, influenced by the party of new families led by Raynald and Guy, had Guy named as the new king. Instead of arguing and possibly causing a civil war, Raymond returned to Tripoli.

Raymond reluctantly sided with the Crusaders after Saladin, his former friend (if not fully an ally), attacked the kingdom in 1187 in response to Raynald's raids in Muslim territory. Saladin immediately besieged Tiberias, rather than pillage the kingdom as the Crusaders expected. Raymond preferred not to meet Saladin in a pitched battle, even though Raymond's wife Eschiva was still in Tiberias. Guy did not agree; instead, the Crusaders marched into a waterless plain, were surrounded by Saladin's army, and were almost completely destroyed at Hattin outside Tiberias. Raymond was one of the few to escape, making for the city of Tyre on the coast.

Raymond died in Tyre later in 1187, of pleurisy. He left no surviving children, only stepchildren from his wife's previous marriage. He had appointed as his successor his godson Raymond of Antioch, although Raymond's father Bohemund III of Antioch installed his younger son Bohemund IV as count.

A largely fictionalized version of Raymond, renamed Tiberias in order to avoid first-name confusion with Raynald and territorial confusion with Tripoli in Libya, is played by Jeremy Irons in the 2005 movie Kingdom of Heaven.

Preceded by: Raymond II

Count of Tripoli 1152–1187

Succeeded by: Bohemund IV Template:End boxde:Raimund III. (Tripolis) fr:Raymond III de Tripoli es:Raymundo III de Tripoli pl:Rajmund III