Baldwin IV's Upbringing in Jerusalem (1160s)

Timeline

1. 1161–1163Jerusalem · PalestineBaldwin IV was born in Jerusalem around 1161, son of Amalric I and Queen Agnes. After the death of Baldwin III in 1163, Amalric ascended the throne, and the young Baldwin, as eldest son, entered the line of succession, receiving a noble education at court.
2. 1164–1168Court of Jerusalem · PalestineThe historian William of Tyre served as Baldwin's tutor, teaching Latin literature, theology, and statecraft. The young Baldwin also received training in horsemanship and arms, showing intelligence and courage. In the 1160s the kingdom faced external threats, and the heir's education was invested with high hopes for sustaining the dynasty.
3. 1169Jerusalem · PalestineIn the late 1160s, Baldwin felt severe pain in his right arm while playing, and the royal physicians diagnosed leprosy. The news was kept strictly secret at court, but the nobles began to worry about succession: how could a king likely to die young and physically disabled lead the defense against enemies? Around 1169, the shadow of the kingdom's succession crisis had quietly emerged.