Kingdom of Jerusalem: Map & History
The Kingdom of Jerusalem, also known as the Crusader Kingdom, was one of the Crusader states established in the Levant immediately after the First Crusade.
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The Kingdom of Jerusalem, also known as the Crusader Kingdom, was one of the Crusader states established in the Levant immediately after the First Crusade. It lasted for almost 200 years, from the accession of Godfrey of Bouillon in 1099 until the fall of Acre in 1291. Its history is divided into two periods with a brief interruption in its existence, beginning with its collapse after the siege of Jerusalem in 1187 and its restoration after the Third Crusade in 1192.
Modern Countries Once Part of Kingdom of Jerusalem
At its mapped extent, Kingdom of Jerusalem covered territory in 4 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
- Palestine1099–1259 CE · most
- Jordan1126–1168 CE · most
- Israel1099–1271 CE · most
- Lebanon1111–1293 CE · most
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Kingdom of Jerusalem's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Kingdom of Jerusalem in Depth
History
The First Crusade was preached at the Council of Clermont in 1095 by Pope Urban II, with the goal of assisting the Byzantine Empire against the invasions of the "Turks and Arabs" and "to destroy this vile race from the lands of our friends." However, the main objective quickly became the control of the Holy Land. The Byzantines were frequently at war with the Seljuks and other Turkish dynasties for control of Anatolia and Syria. The Sunni Seljuks had formerly ruled the Seljuk Empire, but this empire had collapsed into several smaller states after the death of Malik-Shah I in 1092. Malik-Shah was succeeded in the Anatolian Sultanate of Rum by Kilij Arslan I, and in Syria by his brother Tutush I, who died in 1095.
Legacy
their character was more and more that of a desperate defensive war rarely reaching beyond the Balkans (Alexandrian Crusade, Smyrniote crusades).
Henry IV of England made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 1393–4, and he later vowed to lead a crusade to recapture the city, but he did not undertake such a campaign before his death in 1413.
The Levant remained under Ottoman control from 1517 until the Partition of the Ottoman Empire in 1918.
With the Fall of Ruad in 1302, the Kingdom of Jerusalem lost its final outpost on the Levantine coast, its possession closest to the Holy Land now being Cyprus.
Henry II of Jerusalem retained the title of king of Jerusalem until his death in 1324, and the title continued to be claimed by his successors, the kings of Cyprus.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Kingdom of Jerusalem (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Kingdom of Jerusalem: Key Facts
| Capital | Jerusalem |
|---|---|
| Religion | Catholic Church |
| Form of government | patrimonial monarchy, patrimonialism |
| Founded | 15 July 1099 |
| Dissolved | 18 May 1291 |
Preceded by
- Fatimid Caliphate
- early Islamic period in Palestine
Succeeded by
Facts from Wikidata Q55502 (CC0).
Kingdom of Jerusalem Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Kingdom of Jerusalem appears, with the other states of the time.
Kingdom of Jerusalem Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 53,895 km² in 1147 CE.
Kingdom of Jerusalem: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Kingdom of Jerusalem exist?
The Kingdom of Jerusalem is dated to 1099 CE – 1293 CE, in the High & Late Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of the Kingdom of Jerusalem?
The capital of the Kingdom of Jerusalem was Jerusalem (1099–1187), Tyre (1187–1191), Acre (1191–1291).
How large was the Kingdom of Jerusalem at its peak?
At its peak in 1147 AD the Kingdom of Jerusalem covered about 53,895 km².
How did the map of the Kingdom of Jerusalem change over time?
The Kingdom of Jerusalem appears on 2 dated world maps in the atlas, from 1100 CE to 1200 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
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