Balian, Lord of Beirut

For other people with the same name, see Balian of Ibelin (disambiguation).

Balian III of Beirut (died 1247) was the Lord of Beirut, the second of his family, from 1236, and a son of the famous "Old Lord" John of Ibelin, by his second wife Melisende of Arsuf. From his father he assumed the leadership of the nobility in the War of the Lombards, fought against the agents of the Emperor Frederick II.

Balian
Coat-of-arms of Ibelin.
Lord of Beirut
Predecessor	John I of Beirut
Successor	John II of Beirut
Born	Ascalon
Died	1247
Noble family	House of Ibelin-Beirut
Spouse(s)	Eschiva de Montfaucon
Issue	Hugh of Beirut John II of Beirut Isabella of Ibelin (died ca 1250)
Father	John I of Beirut
Mother	Melisende of Arsuf

He was a warrior from an early age. At the Battle of Agridi in 1232, though he was supposed to be in the rearguard with his father and the King of Cyprus, he instead went to the front, beside either Hugh of Ibelin and Anceau of Brie, commanders of the first and second battles. At the battle, Balian won fame defending a pass from the Lombards. A story is told in the Gestes des Chiprois that Balian once struck a Lombard knight so hard that he himself was dismounted.

Balian led his family in besieging Tyre in 1242. He also had the support of Philip of Novara and Philip of Montfort and he employed mercenaries and galleys in the endeavour.

Balian of Ibelin, lord of Beirut married Eschiva de Montfaucon, daughter of Walter of Montbéliard and Bourgogne de Lusignan of Cyprus and they had issue:

• Hugue 1231/32–1254/55, married (1250/53) to Marie of Montbéliard.
• John II of Beirut died 1264, married to Alice de la Roche, daughter of Guy I, Duke of Athens.
• Isabelle, married (c. 1250) to Henry I Embriaco de Giblet (died c. 1271).

Ancestry

Ancestors of Balian, Lord of Beirut
Barisan d'Ibelin Balian d'Ibelin Baldwin I, lord of Ramla Helvis, lady of Ramla Stephanie of Nablus John I d'Ibelin, lord of Beirut Andronikos Komnenos John Komnenos Eirene Aineiadissa Maria Komnene John Taronites Maria Taronitissa Balian d'Ibelin, lord of Beirut Guy of Arsuf Melisende, lady of Arsuf

Sources

• Peters, Edward, ed. (1971). Christian Society and the Crusades, 1198-1229 (2nd ed.). University of Pennsylvania Press.
• Marshall, Christopher. Warfare in the Latin East, 1192–1291. Cambridge University Press, 1992.