Reginald of Sidon - Personal Life

Personal Life

Reginald was described in the Lignages d'Outremer as “extremely ugly and very wise”. He was one of the few native barons of the Kingdom who spoke Arabic and was knowledgeable about Arabic literature. He was on good terms with Saladin's brother Al-Adil: his negotiations with Conrad were discovered by Richard I's faction when Humphrey of Toron saw him going hunting with Al-Adil. This did not endear him to those western chroniclers who supported Richard and Guy of Lusignan: like Raymond of Tripoli, he was even (falsely) accused of having secretly converted to Islam.

After his release from captivity in 1190, he married Helvis of Ibelin, daughter of his friends Balian and Maria, and over 40 years his junior (she was probably born in 1178). He had three children, all apparently by Helvis, according to the Lignages d'Outremer, although some modern genealogies suggest that the two girls may have been by Agnes: certainly, given naming practices, this is plausible in the case of Agnes jr.

  • Agnes, m. Raoul (Ralph) de Saint-Omer of Tiberias, seneschal of Jerusalem (stepson of Raymond III of Tripoli).
  • Fenie (Euphemia), m. Eudes (Odo) de Saint-Omer of Tiberias, constable of Tripoli, lord of Gogulat (stepson of Raymond III of Tripoli, brother of Raoul).
  • Balian, who m. Margaret of Brienne, and succeeded Reginald in Sidon in 1202.

After Reginald's death, Helvis married Guy of Montfort.

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