Gérard de Ridefort

Grand Master's coat of arms of Gérard de Ridefort

Gérard de Ridefort ( Flemish Geraard van Ruddervoorde ) († October 4, 1189 before Acre ) was Grand Master of the Knights Templar from 1184 until his death.

Life

He was the younger son of a nobleman whose family probably named themselves after the Flemish town of Ruddervoorde. Like many descendants of this time, he saw no possibility of social advancement in Europe and therefore joined the Second Crusade in 1146 . After the failure of this crusade in 1149 he stayed in Palestine , where he was in the service of Raimund III. stepped from Tripoli . When Raimund promised him marriage to Lucia von Botrun in 1173 , which would have brought him valuable land in the county of Tripoli , but later broke his promise when a merchant from Pisa offered him money for it, Gérard left Raimund's service and joined the Knights Templar. Around 1183 he became Seneschal of the Order, a year later its Grand Master.

Because of the broken vows, Gérard cultivated the hostility towards Raimund all his life. When Baldwin V of Jerusalem died in 1186, Gérard took the side of the courtly faction in the succession dispute, alone because Raimund was the leader of the aristocratic faction. Raimund opposed the accession of Guido von Lusignan , but Gérard and the Knights Templar gave him the support he needed in view of Raimund's influence.

In 1187 Gérard confiscated part of the money that Henry II of England had entrusted to the Knights Templar and the Hospitallers . This money was part of the penalty imposed on Heinrich for the murder of Thomas Becket , and should - in the event that he should travel to the Holy Land - serve to be spent according to his specifications. Gérard, however, used it to recruit mercenaries with whom he wanted to defend the Kingdom of Jerusalem against Saladin . At the. On May 1, Gérard attacked Saladin's much larger army at the Battle of Cresson with fewer than a hundred Knights Templar . Gérard himself was one of the few survivors of this attack.

In July of the same year, Gérard led the Knights Templar in the Battle of Hattin . Saladin had occupied Tiberias and Guido was planning a campaign on the city to retake it. Raimund advised, however, to wait until Saladin came to them, since they were in a well-protected and water-rich position and had to cross a dry plain on the way to Tiberias. Gérard contradicted, presumably for the sake of contradiction alone, and managed to convince Guido. He was assisted by Rainald von Chatillon , also a participant in the Second Crusade and also one of Raimund's opponents.

The crusaders were placed on the plain and slain on July 4th, 1187. Raimund managed to escape, but Gérard, Guido and Rainald were captured by Saladin. The remaining Knights Templar were executed, only Gérard was released in 1188 after negotiations between Saladin and Guido in exchange for withdrawing from the city of Gaza . During his absence he was represented by a brother Dietrich (Terricus) from Tire , who acted as grandmaster for him. After his return he commanded the successful defense of the Templar Castle of Tartus , while the city of Tartus itself was captured by Saladin's troops.

On October 4, 1189, Gérard led the Knights Templar at the Battle of Acre against Saladin. He fell in that fight or was captured and executed by Saladin.

literature

• De Expugnatione Terræ Sanctæ per Saladinum Libellus. In: Ralph of Coggeshall: Radulphi de Coggeshall Chronicon Anglicanum. Edited Joseph Stevenson. Longman & Co. et al., London 1875, pp. 209-262 .
• Peter W. Edbury: The Conquest of Jerusalem and the Third Crusade. Sources in Translation. Scolar Press, Aldershot 1996, ISBN 1-85928-291-1 [ Old French Continuation of William of Tire. This edition includes translation of Urban III's letter on the battle of Cresson.]
• Regni Ierosolymitani Brevis Historia. In: Luigi Tommaso Belgrano (ed.): Annali Genovesi di Caffaro e de 'suoi Continuatori dal MXCIX al MCCXCIII (= Fonti per la Storia d'Italia. No. 11, ISSN  0392-1832 ). Volume 1. Nuova edizione. Nella Sede dell'Istituto Storico Italiano, Genoa 1890, pp. 125-149 .
• Reinhold Röhricht (Ed.): Regesta Regni Hierosolymitani MXCVII – MCCXCI. and Additamentum. Wagner, Innsbruck 1893–1904.
• William Stubbs (Ed.): Chronica Magistri Rogeri de Houedene. 4 volumes. Longmans, Green, Reader, and Dyer, London 1868-71.
• William Stubbs (Ed.): Gesta Regis Henrici Secundi Benedicti Abbatis. The Chronicle of the Reigns of Henry II and Richard IAD 1169-1192; Known commonly under the Name Benedict of Peterborough (= Rerum Britannicarum Medii Æevi Scriptores or Chronicles and Memorials of Great Britain and Ireland during the Middle Ages. 49, ZDB -ID 401449-2 ). Volume 1. Edited, from the Cotton. MSS. Longman et al. London 1867

predecessor	Office	successor
Arnaud de Toroge	Grand Master of the Knights Templar 1184–1189	Robert de Sablé