Morphia of Melitene
Queen consort of Jerusalem / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Morphia of Melitene?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
Morphia of Melitene (died 1 October c. 1127) was the queen consort of the crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem from 1118 until her death. She was an Armenian by ethnicity and an adherent of the Greek Orthodox faith. Her father, Gabriel, was a warlord in northern Syria. He wished to marry her off to one of the crusade leaders who were carving out states in the Levant, and eventually chose Count Baldwin II of Edessa. They married around 1100 and had four daughters: Melisende, Alice, Hodierna, and Ioveta. In 1118, Baldwin was elected king of Jerusalem; the next year, Morphia became the first woman to be crowned queen of Jerusalem. She did not participate in the government but took initiative to liberate her husband after he was captured in 1123. She died a few years later. According to historian Bernard Hamilton, her religious practices left a lasting mark on the status of Orthodox Christians in the crusader kingdom.
Morphia of Melitene | |
---|---|
Queen consort of Jerusalem | |
Tenure | 1118 – c. 1127 |
Coronation | 25 December 1119 |
Died | 1 October c. 1127 |
Spouse | Baldwin II, King of Jerusalem |
Issue | |
Father | Gabriel, Lord of Melitene |