Henry II of Champagne

Also known as Lord of the Kingdom of Jerusalem

Nephew of both Richard the Lionheart and Philip II of France, Henry of Champagne arrived in the East in 1190 at the head of a powerful contingent and joined the siege of Acre as the leading prince of the crusading army. When Conrad of Montferrat was murdered in Tyre in April 1192, the barons descended on the twenty-six-year-old count and told him he was to marry the pregnant widow, Isabella, and take the throne. Henry was reluctant; the marriage was celebrated within the week.

He ruled for five years from Acre, refusing to be crowned — perhaps out of deference to Conrad's unborn child, perhaps because he felt the title unlucky — and styling himself only “Lord of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.” He was popular with both barons and Italians, negotiated a workable peace with Saladin's successors in Damascus and Egypt, and quietly rebuilt a coastal state that had nearly ceased to exist.

On 10 September 1197, leaning on the lattice of a palace window in Acre to review a parade of Pisan troops below, he toppled out of it and fell to his death. The chronicles differ politely on what happened — some say the railing gave way; others that his dwarf Scarlet was tumbling in front of him and Henry lunged to catch him, going over with him. He was thirty-one, and left three small daughters. His widow was remarried within weeks to Aimery of Lusignan.

Preceded by Conrad of Montferrat. Succeeded by Aimery of Lusignan.

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