TEXTBOOK

View high resolution

Hello. Welcome to a blog post I wrote. This post is about Queen Sibylla of Jerusalem. For most, she’s an unfamiliar name because high school history classes tend not to delve to deeply into the Crusades, but take my word for it when I say she was very interesting. Sibylla was the sister of King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem, famously known as “The Leper King” because, you guessed it, he had Leprosy. Eventually, the disease claimed his life and in his stead, Sibylla’s son ascended throne during his minority. However, the young king didn’t outlive his regents and Sibylla then became Queen. Once crowned, she took the French Guy of Lusignan as her husband, known for his brutish and war-hungry attitude. The immediate concern of Sibylla was to protect Jersusalem from the encroaching armies of Saladin, who was making moves to capture Jerusalem in the name . In an attempt to stave off the warriors, Sibylla’s husband rode out to meet them in battle but was defeated and taken prisoner. Now, nothing stood between the armies of Saladin and the holy city. In a last ditch attempt, Sibylla led the remains of her defenses against Saladin, but was forced to concede and was allowed safe passage from the city with her children. You can’t deny that Sibylla was pretty badass, she has a little bit of the Eleanor of Aquitane vibe about her, admirable for somebody who was stuck in a fairly oppressive time.

1. I am awesome because I am great.
Dress by Manish Arora, shoes by Altuzarra

2. I’m the Queen of Jerusalem, yo.
Dress by Altuzarra, shoes by Marchesa

3. Fine Saladin, you win all the things.
Dress by Marchesa, shoes by Dior

Tweet