Joscelin I, Count of Edessa (1072–1131)
Born 1072 CE, died 1131 CE.
Joscelin I, also known as Joscelin of Courtenay (French: Jocelyn or Josselin; c. 1080 – August 1131) was a Frankish nobleman of the House of Courtenay who ruled as the lord of Turbessel (1101–1113), prince of Galilee (1113–1119) and count of Edessa (1118–1131). Joscelin came to the Levant in the aftermath of the 1101 Crusade, and served his cousin Baldwin of Bourcq, count of Edessa, receiving lands west of the Euphrates. By 1113, these had formed into a wealthy lordship around Turbessel, but he was dispossessed by Baldwin soon after. He went to the Kingdom of Jerusalem, where King Baldwin I made him the prince of Galilee. In 1118, Baldwin I of Jerusalem died, and Baldwin of Edessa stood to succeed him. Joscelin supported Baldwin and was in exchange granted the County of Edessa in 1119. As count, Joscelin commanded significant support from his Armenian subjects, and fought constant wars with his neighbouring Muslim rivals in the 1120s. He was captured by Belek Ghazi in 1122, and was joined by Baldwin in 1123. He managed to break out in the Autumn, but failed to immediately secure Baldwin's release as well.
Text from the Wikipedia article Joscelin_I_of_Edessa, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.