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Birth:          ABT 1123 
Death:          4 Jul 1187 

Notes
went on 2d Crusade and remained
executed by Saladin with his own hands after the battle of Hattin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raynald_of_Ch%C3%A2tillon
Raynald of Châtillon, also known as Reynald or Reginald of Châtillon (French: Renaud 
de Châtillon; c. 1125 – 4 July 1187), was Prince of Antioch from 1153 to 1160 or 1161, 
and Lord of Oultrejordain from 1175 until his death. He was born as his father's 
second son into a French noble family. After losing a part of his patrimony, he joined 
the Second Crusade in 1147. He settled in the Kingdom of Jerusalem and served in 
the royal army as a mercenary.

Raynald married Constance, the reigning Princess of Antioch, in 1153, in spite of her 
subjects' opposition. He was always in need of funds. He captured and tortured 
Aimery of Limoges, Latin Patriarch of Antioch, because Aimery had refused to pay a 
subsidy to him. Raynald launched a plundering raid in Cyprus in 1155, causing great 
destruction. Four years later, the Byzantine Emperor, Manuel I Komnenos, came to 
Antioch at the head of a large army, forcing Raynald to beg for his mercy. Raynald 
made a raid in the valley of the river Euphrates at Marash to seize booty from the local 
peasants in 1160 or 1161, but he was captured by the governor of Aleppo.

Raynald was held in prison until 1176. After his release for a large ransom, he did not 
return to Antioch, because his wife had meanwhile died. He married Stephanie of 
Milly, the wealthy heiress of Oultrejordain. Since Baldwin IV of Jerusalem also granted 
Hebron to him, Raynald was one of the wealthiest barons of the realm. He controlled 
the caravan routes between Egypt and Syria. Baldwin, who suffered from leprosy, 
made him regent in 1177. Raynald led the crusader army that defeated Saladin at the 
Battle of Montgisard. He was the only Christian leader to pursue an offensive policy 
against Saladin, making plundering raids against the caravans travelling near his 
domains. He built a fleet of five ships which plundered the coast of the Red Sea, 
threatening the route of the Muslim pilgrims towards Mecca in early 1183. Saladin 
pledged that he would never forgive Raynald.

Raynald was a firm supporter of Baldwin IV's sister, Sybilla, and her husband, Guy of 
Lusignan, during conflicts regarding the succession of the king. Sibylla and Guy were 
able to seize the throne in 1186 due to Raynald's co-operation with her uncle, 
Joscelin III of Courtenay. Raynald attacked a caravan travelling from Egypt to Syria in 
late 1186 or early 1187, claiming that the truce between Saladin and the Kingdom of 
Jerusalem did not bind him. After Raynald refused to pay a compensation, Saladin 
invaded the kingdom and annihilated the crusader army in the Battle of Hattin. 
Raynald was captured in the battlefield. Saladin personally beheaded him after he 
refused to convert to Islam.[1] Most historians have regarded Raynald as an 
irresponsible adventurer whose lust for booty caused the fall of the Kingdom of 
Jerusalem. On the other hand, Bernard Hamilton says that he was the only crusader 
leader who tried to prevent Saladin from unifying the nearby Muslim states.
Early years[edit]
Raynald was the younger son of Hervé II, Lord of Donzy.[2][3] In older historiography, 
Raynald was described as the son of Geoffrey, Count of Gien,[4] but in 1989 Jean 
Richard demonstrated Raynald's kinship with the Lords of Donzy.[2] They were 
influential noblemen in the Duchy of Burgundy, claiming the Palladii (a family of Roman 
senators) as their ancestors.[2]

Raynald was born around 1123.[2] He received Châtillon-sur-Loire,[2] but a part of his 
patrimony was "violently and unjustly confiscated", according to one of his letters.[5] 
He came to the Kingdom of Jerusalem before 1153 when he was mentioned as a 
mercenary fighting in the army of Baldwin III of Jerusalem.[6] According to modern 
historians, he had joined the crusade of Louis VII of France.[2] Louis departed from 
France in June 1147.[7] The 12th-century historian William of Tyre, who was 
Raynald's opponent, claimed that Raynald was "almost a common soldier".[2] Louis 
VII left the Holy Land for France in the summer of 1149, but Raynald stayed behind in 
Palestine.[2][8]

Raymond, Prince of Antioch, and thousands of his soldiers fell in the Battle of Inab on 
28 June 1148, leaving the principality almost undefended.[9] Baldwin III of Jerusalem 
(who was the cousin of Raymond's widow, Constance, the ruling Princess of Antioch) 
came to Antioch at the head of his army at least three times during the following 
years.[10] To secure the defence of the principality, Baldwin tried to persuade her to 
remarry, but she did not accept his candidates.[11] She also refused John Roger, 
whom the Byzantine Emperor, Manuel I Komnenos, proposed for her husband.[12]

Raynald accompanied Baldwin to Antioch in 1151 and settled in the principality, 
according to Steven Runciman.[4] It is certain that Raynald fought in Baldwin's army 
during the Siege of Ascalon in early 1153.[3] He may have already been engaged to 
Constance of Antioch (as Runciman suggests),[4] or their betrothal took place during 
Raynald's visit to the principality before the end of the siege (as Malcolm Barber 
proposes).[5] They kept their betrothal a secret until Baldwin gave his permission to 
their marriage.[4][5]
Prince of Antioch[edit]

After Baldwin granted his consent, Constance married Raynald.[5][4][13] He was 
installed prince in or shortly before May 1153.[14] In that month, he confirmed the 
privileges of the Venetian merchants.[15] William of Tyre recorded that his subjects 
were astonished that their "famous, powerful and well-born" princess condescended 
to "marry a kind of mercenary knight".[6] The wealthy Latin Patriarch of Antioch, 
Aimery of Limoges, was Raynald's principal opponent.[16] He even refused to pay a 
subsidy to him.[13] In retaliation, Raynald captured and tortured Aimery, forcing him to 
sit naked and covered with honey in the sun, before imprisoning him.[13][17] Aimery 
was only released on Baldwin III's demand, but he soon left his see for Jerusalem.[13]
[17]

Emperor Manuel sent his envoys to Antioch, proposing to recognize Raynald as the 
new prince if he launched a campaign against the Armenians of Cilicia, who had risen 
up against Byzantine rule.[13][16] Manuel also promised that he would compensate 
Raynald for the expenses of the campaign.[13] After Raynald defeated the Armenians 
at Alexendretta in 1155, the Knights Templar seized the region of the Syrian Gates 
that the Armenians had recently captured.[16] Although the sources are unclear, 
Runciman and Barber agree that it was Raynald who granted the territory to them.[16]
[17]

Always in need of funds, Raynald urged Manuel to send the promised subsidy to him, 
but Manuel failed to pay the money.[17] Raynald made an alliance with Thoros II of 
Cilicia.[18] They attacked Cyprus, subjecting the Byzantine island to a three-week 
orgy of violence in early 1156.[18] They only left Cyprus on the rumour of an imperial 
fleet approaching the island, but only after they had forced all Cypriots to ransom 
themselves, with the exception of the wealthiest individuals (including Emperor 
Manuel's nephew, John Doukas Komnenos), whom they carried off to Antioch.[18][19] 
Cyprus would never entirely recover from the devastation that Raynald's and Thoros's 
marauding raid caused.[18][19]

Taking advantage of the presence of Thierry, Count of Flanders, and his army in the 
Holy Land and an earthquake that destroyed most towns of Northern Syria, Baldwin III 
of Jerusalem invaded the Muslim territories in the valley of the Orontes River in the 
autumn of 1157.[20] Raynald joined the royal army, and they laid siege to Shaizar.[19]
[20] Shaizar was held by a band of Assassins, but it had been ruled by the 
Munqidhites who paid an annual tribute to Raynald.[20] Before the capitulation of the 
garrison, Baldwin decided to grant the fortress to Thierry of Flanders, but Raynald 
demanded that the count should pay homage to him for the town.[21] After Thierry 
sharply refused to swear fealty to an upstart, the crusaders abandoned the siege.[21] 
They marched on Harenc (present-day Harem, Syria), which had been an Antiochene 
fortress before Nur ad-Din, atabeg of Aleppo, captured it in 1150.[22] After the 
crusaders captured Harenc in February 1158, Raynald granted it to the Flemish 
Raynald of Saint-Valery.[21][23]

Emperor Manuel unexpectedly invaded Cilicia, forcing Thoros II to seek refuge in the 
mountains in December 1158.[24][25] Raynald hurried to Mamistra to voluntarily make 
his submission to the emperor.[24][23] On Manuel's demand, he and his retainers 
walked barefoot and bareheaded through the streets of the town to the imperial tent 
where he prostrated himself, begging for mercy.[26] William of Tyre stated that "the 
glory of the Latin world was put to shame" on this occasion, because envoys from the 
nearby Muslim and Christian rulers were also present at Raynald's humiliation.[27] 
Manuel only forgave him after Raynald agreed to accept a Greek Patriarch in 
Antioch.[26] Raynald also had to promise that he would allow a Byzantine garrison to 
stay in the citadel whenever it was required and would send a troop to fight in the 
Byzantine army.[26] Before long, Baldwin III of Jerusalem persuaded Manuel to 
consent to the return of the Latin patriarch, Aimery, to Antioch, instead of installing a 
Greek patriarch.[25][28] When the emperor entered Antioch with much pomp and 
ceremony on 12 April 1159, Reginald held the bridle of Manuel's horse.[25][28] Manuel 
left the town eight days later.[29]

Raynald made a plundering raid in the valley of the river Euphrates at Marash to seize 
cattle, horses and camels from the local peasants in November 1160 or 1161.[30][31] 
Majd al-Din, governor of Aleppo, attacked Raynald and his retinue on the way back to 
Antioch.[30] Raynald fought bravely, but the Muslim warriors unhorsed and captured 
him.[31] He was sent to Aleppo where he was put in jail.[31]

Captivity and release[edit]
A captive man is taken to the open gate of a fortress; a flock of sheep
Raynald at Aleppo after his capture.
Almost nothing is known about Raynald's life while he was kept in jail for fifteen 
years.[27] He shared his prison with Joscelin III of Courtenay, who had been captured 
a couple of months before.[32] In Raynald's absence, Constance wanted to rule 
alone, but Baldwin III of Jerusalem made Patriarch Aimery regent for her fifteen-year-
old son (Raynald's stepson), Bohemond III of Antioch.[32][30] Constance died around 
1163, shortly after her son reached the age of majority.[33] Her death deprived 
Raynald of his claim to Antioch.[27] However, he had become an important 
personality, with prominent family connections.[27] His stepdaughter, Maria of Antioch, 
married Manuel I Komnenos in 1161.[27][34] Raynald's own daughter, Agnes, became 
the wife of Béla III of Hungary.[27][35]

When Gümüshtekin, governor of Aleppo, one of the last independent Muslim rulers in 
Syria after Saladin, had conquered almost all neighboring states, he released Raynald, 
along with Joscelin of Courtenay and all other Christians prisoners in 1176.[36] 
Raynald's ransom, fixed at 120,000 gold dinars, reflected his prestige.[27] It was most 
probably paid by Manuel I Komnenos, according to Barber and Bernard Hamilton.[37]
[38]

Raynald came to Jerusalem with Joscelin before 1 September 1176 [39] where he 
became a close ally of Joscelin's sister, Agnes of Courtenay.[40] She was the mother 
of the young Baldwin IV of Jerusalem, who suffered from leprosy.[40][41] Hugo 
Etherianis, who lived in Constantinople after around 1165, mentioned in the preface of 
his About the Procession of the Holy Spirit that he had asked "Prince Raynald" to 
deliver a copy of the work to Aimery of Limoges.[42] According to historian Bernard 
Hamilton, these words suggest that Raynald led the embassy that Baldwin IV sent to 
Constantinople to confirm an alliance between Jerusalem and the Byzantine Empire 
against Egypt.[42]
***
Capture and execution[edit]

The Estoire de Eracles wrongly claimed that Saladin's sister was also among the 
prisoners taken by Raynald when he seized the caravan.[83][97] Actually, she 
returned from Mecca to Damascus in a subsequent pilgrim-caravan in March 1187.[83] 
To protect her against an attack by Raynald, Saladin escorted the pilgrims while they 
were travelling near Oultrejordain.[100] Saladin stormed into Oultrejordain on 26 April 
and pillaged Raynald's domains for a month.[101] Thereafter, Saladin marched to 
Ashtara, where the troops coming from all parts of his realm assembled.[102]

The Christian forces assembled at Sepphoris.[102][103] Raynald and Gerard of 
Ridefort convinced Guy of Lusignan to take the initiative and attack Saladin's army, 
although Raymond III of Tripoli had tried to persuade the king to avoid a direct fight 
with it.[94][104] During the debate, Raynald accused Raymond of Tripoli of co-
operating with the enemy.[105] Saladin inflicted a crushing defeat on the crusaders in 
the Battle of Hattin on 4 July.[106] Most commanders of the Christian army were 
captured in the battlefield.[107]

Guy of Lusignan and Raynald were among the prisoners who were brought before 
Saladin.[108] Saladin handed a cup of iced rose water to Guy.[109] After drinking from 
the cup, the king handed it to Raynald.[109] Imad ad-Din al-Isfahani (who was 
present) recorded that Raynald drank from the cup.[108] Since customary law 
prescribed that a man who gave food or drink to a prisoner could not murder him, 
Saladin stated that it was Guy who had given the cup to Raynald.[109] Saladin called 
Raynald to his tent.[108] He accused him of many crimes (including brigandage and 
blasphemy), offering him to choose between conversion to Islam or death, according 
to Imad ad-Din and Ibn al-Athir.[94][109] After Raynald flatly refused to convert, 
Saladin took a sword and struck Raynald with it.[94][109] Raynald fell to the ground 
and Saladin beheaded him for the honour of Islam.[94][108] The reliability of the 
reports of Saladin's offer to Raynald is subject to a scholarly debate, because the 
Muslim authors who recorded them may have only wanted to improve Saladin's image.
[110] Ernoul's chronicle and the Estoire de Eracles recounted the events ending with 
Raynald's execution in almost the same language as the Muslim authors.[109] 
However, according to Ernoul's chronicle, Raynald refused to drink from the cup that 
Guy of Lusignan handed to him.[108] He was murdered after he enraged Saladin, 
saying that he would behead Saladin if he had captured him in the battle.[111] 
According to Ernoul, Raynald's head was struck off by Saladin's mamluks and it was 
brought to Damascus to be "dragged along the ground to show the Saracens, whom 
the prince had wronged, that vengeance had been exacted".[112][111]

Family[edit]

Raynald's first wife, Constance of Antioch (born in 1128), was the only daughter of 
Bohemond II of Antioch and Alice of Jerusalem.[113] Constance succeeded her father 
in Antioch in 1130.[114] She was given in marriage to Raymond of Poitiers in 1136.
[115] Years after his death, Raynald married the widowed Constance and seized 
Antioch.[4]

Their daughter, Agnes, moved to Constantinople in early 1170 to marry Kaisar 
Alexios-Béla, the younger brother of Stephen III of Hungary, who lived in the 
Byzantine Empire.[116] Agnes was renamed Anna in Constantinople.[117] Her husband 
succeeded his brother as Béla III of Hungary in 1172.[118] She followed her husband 
to Hungary, where she gave birth to seven children before she died around 1184.[117] 
Raynald and Constance's second daughter, Alice, became the third wife of Azzo VI of 
Este in 1204.[119] Raynald also had a son, Baldwin, from Constance, according to 
historian Bernard Hamilton, but Runciman says that Baldwin was Constance's son from 
her first husband.[120][121] Baldwin moved to Constantinople in the early 1160s.[33] 
He died fighting at the head of a Byzantine cavalry regiment in the Battle of 
Myriokephalon on 17 September 1176.[122]

Raynald's second wife, Stephanie of Milly, was the younger[123] daughter of Philip of 
Milly, Lord of Nablus, and Isabella of Oultrejourdain.[124] She was born around 1145.
[125] Her first husband, Humphrey III of Toron, died around 1173.[126] She inherited 
Oultrejourdain from her niece, Beatrice Brisbarre, shortly before she married Miles of 
Plancy in early 1174.[126] Miles of Plancy was murdered in October 1174.[127][123]

Legacy[edit]
Most information on Raynald's life was recorded by Muslim authors who were hostile to 
him.[128] Baha ad-Din ibn Shaddad described him as a "monstrous infidel and terrible 
oppressor"[129] in his biography of Saladin.[130] Saladin compared Raynald with the 
king of Ethiopia, who had tried to destroy Mecca in 570 and was mentioned as the 
"Elephant" in the Surah CV of the Quran.[131]

Most Christian authors who wrote of Raynald in the 12th and 13th centuries were 
influenced by Raynald's political opponent, William of Tyre.[128] The author of the 
Estoire of Eracles stated that Raynald's attack against a caravan at the turn of 1186 
and 1187 was the "reason of the loss of the Kingdom of Jerusalem".[83] Modern 
historians have usually also treated Raynald as a "maverick who did more harm to the 
Christian than to the [Muslim] cause".[128] Runciman describes him as a marauder 
who could not resist the temptation presented by the rich caravans passing through 
Oultrejordain.[64] Runciman argues that Raynald attacked a caravan during the 1180 
truce because he "could not understand a policy that ran counter to his wishes".[64] 
According to Barber, Raynald's behavior during the reign of Guy of Lusignan shows 
that the kingdom had broken up into "a collection of semi-autonomous fiefdoms" by 
that time.[96]

Some Christian authors regarded Raynald as a martyr for the faith.[94] Peter of Blois 
dedicated a book (entitled Passion of Prince Raynald of Antioch) to him shortly after 
his death.[94] Among modern historians, Bernard Hamilton describes Raynald as "an 
experienced and responsible crusader leader" who made several attempts to prevent 
Saladin from uniting the Muslim realms along the borders of the crusader states.[132]

Parents
DE CHATILLON Henry I (Herve) (ABT 1063 - AFT 1135)
DE MONTJOY Ermengarde (ABT 1085 - )

Siblings
DE CHATILLON Raynald (Renaud) (ABT 1123 - 4 Jul 1187)

Marriage To OF ANTIOCH Constance (1128 - 1163)
    m. 1153 

Notes

Parents
____ Bohemond II (ABT 1107 - Feb 1130)
OF ANTIOCH Alice (ABT 1110 - AFT 1136)

Children by OF ANTIOCH Constance 1128 - 1163
OF ANTIOCH Agnes (1154 - 1184)

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