John of Brienne
John of Brienne
(brēĕn`), c.1170–1237, French crusader. He was a count and in 1210 married Mary, titular queen of Jerusalem. Mary died in 1212, and their daughter, Yolande (1212–28), succeeded to the title under John's regency. John played a conspicuous part in the Fifth Crusade (see CrusadesCrusades, series of wars undertaken by European Christians between the 11th and 14th cent. to recover the Holy Land from the Muslims. First Crusade
Origins
In the 7th cent., Jerusalem was taken by the caliph Umar.
..... Click the link for more information. ), capturing Damietta in 1219, and in 1222 he went to Europe in search of support. He arranged the marriage (1225) between Yolande and Holy Roman Emperor Frederick IIFrederick II,
1194–1250, Holy Roman emperor (1220–50) and German king (1212–20), king of Sicily (1197–1250), and king of Jerusalem (1229–50), son of Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI and of Constance, heiress of Sicily.
..... Click the link for more information. , who promptly claimed the crown of Jerusalem. John, claiming the title for himself, joined with a papal army in invading (1229) Frederick's kingdom in S Italy, while Frederick was absent on crusade. In 1228, John was chosen regent during the minority of Baldwin IIBaldwin II,
1217–73, last Latin emperor of Constantinople (1228–61), brother and successor of Robert of Courtenay. He began his personal rule only after the death (1237) of his father-in-law, John of Brienne.
..... Click the link for more information. , Latin emperor of Constantinople (see Constantinople, Latin Empire ofConstantinople, Latin Empire of,
1204–61, feudal empire established in the S Balkan Peninsula and the Greek archipelago by the leaders of the Fourth Crusade (see Crusades) after they had sacked (1204) Constantinople; also known as the empire of Romania
..... Click the link for more information. ), and he became coemperor in 1231. He successfully defended (1236) Constantinople against the joint forces of Emperor John III of Nicaea and Czar Ivan II of Bulgaria.