Baldwin V of Jerusalem

Baldwin V (1177 or 11781186) was the king of Jerusalem who reigned together with his uncle Baldwin IV from 1183 to 1185 and, after his uncle's death, as the sole king from 1185 to his death. Baldwin IV's leprosy meant that he could not have children, and so he spent his reign grooming various relatives to succeed him. Finally his nephew was chosen, and Baldwin IV had him crowned as co-king in order to sideline the child's unpopular stepfather, Guy of Lusignan. When Baldwin IV died, Count Raymond III of Tripoli assumed government on behalf of the child king. Baldwin V died of unknown causes, and was succeeded by his mother, Sibylla, who then made Guy king. Background Baldwin of Montferrat was born in December 1177 or January 1178 to Sibylla, sister of King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem, after whom he was named. His father, William of Montferrat, had died in June 1177. Though only 16, the king was not expected to live long, nor could he marry and have children, because he had contracted leprosy and was growing weaker. William had thus been expected to succeed him. By July 1178, the king recognized his sister as his new heir presumptive. Her son, Baldwin of Montferrat, followed her in the line of succession. The Kingdom of Jerusalem, a Crusader state in the Levant ruled by Catholic Franks, was often threatened by the neighbouring Muslim powers. Due to the king's illness, it was imperative that the young Baldwin's mother, Sibylla, remarry soon; she married Guy of Lusignan in early 1180 and had four daughters with him. Baldwin IV initially intended Guy to become the next king, but soon realized that Guy was a poor candidate due to his unpopularity with the barons of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and rulers of the neighbouring Crusader states, Prince Bohemond III of Antioch and Count Raymond III of Tripoli. Kingship