ABSTRACT
Lusignan is a well-known name in crusades history for it is associated with the fall of Jerusalem and the loss of a major part of the kingdom. Nevertheless, the presence of the Lusignans in the history of the crusades cannot be reduced to the part played by Guy and by the dynasty born of his brother Aimery who succeeded him on the throne of Cyprus. To understand why Guy became king of Jerusalem, it is important to recognize the roots of his family’s engagement in the crusades two, and perhaps four, generations before him. We can see their participation in expeditions to Spain, in the First and Second Crusades and an involvement in the county of Tripoli where the family was linked to the comital house and could stake a claim to the inheritance. These elements help to shed new light on the baronial struggle at Baldwin IV’s court and on the conflict between Guy and Count Raymond of Tripoli. Besides, during the few months Guy was king, he made use of his family to strengthen his position therein. After the Battle of Hattin, the Lusignans tried to recover from this disaster, in part through the writings of Peter of Blois, but mainly through the heroic actions of a further member of the family, the newly arrived Geoffrey. This article will also showcase the involvement of other Lusignan generations of France and England during the crusades and set out why they deserve to be called “a crusader lineage.”
