Abbot Bernard of Clairvaux sent hundreds of letters throughout his lifetime to recipients ranging from Northern Europe to Jerusalem. These letters, all in Latin, show the epistolary tradition of a savvy communicator who knew when to write to some of the Middle Ages’ most important figures. One such figure was Melisende, Queen of Jerusalem, who he wrote to four separate times. [1] Epistle 354, the last letter written between Bernard and Melisende, attempts to comfort Melisende after the death of her husband Fulk V. While scholars are unsure when exactly the letter was penned, it was certainly written any time between 1143, when Queen Melisende ascended the throne of the Kingdom of Jerusalem alongside her son Baldwin III, and 1153, when Bernard of Clairvaux died. He provides advice for her as ruler and stresses the importance of her clearly establishing her power over the Kingdom of Jerusalem. The letter is written in Latin, as are all of Bernard’s letters; as a well-revered scholar and theologian, Bernard would have had no issues using the language of the Church. [2] In fact, it would have been uncommon and likely overly familiar if Bernard had written in vernacular.
If this was a modern letter, perhaps one could assume that Bernard of Clairvaux and Queen Melisende were close friends and that Melisende perhaps wrote to him first asking for advice or guidance; this was likely not the case. Ample political and religious motivation guided Bernard’s pen. Jerusalem and its fellow crusader states were plagued with vast upheaval during the ten-year span Epistle 354 was written in, which provides many different potential reasons for the letter’s writing. [3] If the letter was written in 1143 upon Melisende’s crowning, Bernard may have wanted to ‘check in’ with the queen and remind her of his spiritual support – essentially, a savvy bid at establishing relationships with powerful people. While Melisende certainly did not need Bernard’s advice on ruling, considering she ruled alongside her husband for nearly a decade before his death, the letter was still a prudent move at establishing a foothold in the constantly-changing Kingdom of Jerusalem. If the letter was written a year later, however, Bernard’s intent changes drastically. After the Crusader state of Edessa was taken in 1144, Pope Eugenius III called for the Second Crusade. [4] Bernard of Clairvaux’s crusade sermons were instrumental in rallying support for this new war. In this light, Bernard’s letter to Melisende may have been sent still to remind her of his spiritual support, but also to cement his position of power within the Second Crusade. A letter addressed to the Queen of Jerusalem herself is certainly a striking way to establish oneself as an important figure in a holy war that benefits her directly. While the letter could have been sent as late as 1153, it is unlikely that it was written after 1150. Bernard states that “the young king [is] not yet ready to bear the business of the kingdom and to carry out the office of king,” suggesting that Melisende’s son, Baldwin III, did not have a desire to rule independently of his mother. [5] This changed as Baldwin grew and tested his military prowess, leading to a tense few years until Baldwin III demanded in 1152 that Fulcher, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, crown him and force Melisende to abdicate. [6] Considering Bernard of Clairvaux’s letter makes no reference to Baldwin III other than his disinterest in ruling, it is unlikely that this upheaval would have happened at the time of writing. This document’s relevance to the Crusader States is undeniable: it is a correspondence between one of the most powerful people in the Latin East, the Queen of Jerusalem, and one of the most powerful clerics at home in Europe, Bernard of Clairvaux. Regardless of when it was written, it shows Bernard’s desire to remind Queen Melisende that he, too, was an important force in the Church’s holy wars in the Levant. Bernard of Clairvaux’s letters show he was adept at making connections with powerful people during uncertain times, and this letter exemplifies this skill. [1] Sancti Bernardi Opera, ed. J. LeClercq and H. Rochais (Rome: Eds. Cisterciennes, 1979), v.8, ep.354; Sancti Bernardi Opera, ed. J. LeClercq and H. Rochais (Rome: Eds. Cisterciennes, 1979), v.8, ep.355; Sancti Bernardi Opera, ed. J. LeClercq and H. Rochais (Rome: Eds. Cisterciennes, 1979), v.8, ep.289; Sancti Bernardi Opera, ed. J. LeClercq and H. Rochais (Rome: Eds. Cisterciennes, 1979), ep.206. [2] Sancti Bernardi Opera, ed. J. LeClercq and H. Rochais (Rome: Eds. Cisterciennes, 1979), v.8, ep.354. [3] Bernard Hamilton, “Women in the Crusader States: The Queens of Jerusalem (1100-1190),” Studies in Church History Subsidia 1 (1978): 143–74, doi:10.1017/S0143045900000375, 152. [4] Helen A Gaudette, "The Piety, Power, and Patronage of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem's Queen Melisende," Order No. 3169909, City University of New York, 2005, https://login.avoserv2.library.fordham.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/piety-power-patronage-latin-kingdom-jerusalems/docview/305006120/se-2, 112-13. [5] Sancti Bernardi Opera, ed. J. LeClercq and H. Rochais (Rome: Eds. Cisterciennes, 1979), v.8, ep.354. [6] Bernard Hamilton, “Women in the Crusader States: The Queens of Jerusalem (1100-1190),” Studies in Church History Subsidia 1 (1978): 143–74, doi:10.1017/S0143045900000375, 152-53. Written by Frances Seabrook, Fordham University, MA Medieval Studies
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Revised Regesta Regni (RRR) document #1097 is the will of Henry II of England indicating the large sums of money to be divided among the military orders of the holy land as well as the defense and wellbeing of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. The source for this entry in the RRR is noted as the Recueil des actes d’Henri II, specifically, the act listed under the title of Testament de Henri II (The Will of Henry II).[1] The Recueil notes that while the original document has been lost, two extant sources attest this documents historicity, those of Gervais of Canterbury, found in his Chronicle of the Reigns of Stephen, Henry II, and Richard,[2] and the Foedera by Thomas Rymer.[3] However, it is noted that the main source used in the Recueil is that of Gervais with Rymer’s work only used for some small variants.
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