volume one

HISTOET OF THE CEUSADES. 403
The count of Tripoli was pointed out by the opinion of
both the people and the nobles, as the only person capable
of governing ; but the suffrages of the people only augmented
the suspicions of Baldwin, who had long dreaded the ambition
of Raymond. Obliged to abandon a throne, the weak
monarch trembled at the idea of placing on it a man who
might soon make him forgotten ; and he chose in preference
a knight without name or glory, whose only title arose from
his having espoused Sibylla, daughter of King Amaury, and
widow of the marquis of Montferrat, surnamed Long Sword.
Guy of Lusignan did not justify the choice of Baldwin by
his conduct, and disgusted every one by the excess of his
pride. In this state of things, the interests of the Christian
colonies required that the truce made with the Mussulmans
should be strictly observed ; but such was then the destiny
of the kingdom of Jerusalem, that nobody had sufficient
power or ascendancy to maintain peace, whilst the meanest
of the barons or knights could, at his w^ill, provoke war.
The rashness and imprudence of one man again brought
dow^n upon Palestine the whole force of Saladin.
Old chronicles have related the romantic adventures and
extraordinarv fortune of Eenaud de Chatillon. Born at
Chatillon-sur-Indre, of obscure parents, he followed the
army of Louis the Young into Asia, and enrolled himself in
the troops of Raymond of Poictiers, prince of Antioch. Raymond
having lost his life in battle, his widow Constance was
solicited to select a new husband, who might be associated
with her in the government. This princess passed by the
most illustrious nobles and knights, for she had remarked
the personal beauty and chivalric bravery of Renaud de
Chatillon, and would accept of no other husband. By this
marriage, w^hich, according to "William of Tyre, filled the
Christian barons with surprise, she all at once raised a
young obscure man to the throne of Antioch.
Although Renaud de Chatillon had obtained the love of
Constance, he could not conciHate the confidence and esteem
of his new subjects. A formidable party was formed against
him, at the head of which was the patriarch Amaury.
Renaud, full of vexation and anger, cast into prison all who
were opposed to him. By his orders the patriarch was led to
the top of one of the towers of the citadel, and, with his bare
Vol. L—19