Barisan "the Old" Balian le François, 1st lord of Ibelin and the founder of the House of Ibelin.

Also known as Balian-le-Vieux, he was the husband of Hélvis, of Rama, the daughter of Baudouin I and Stéphanie. The family descendants are known by: d'Ibelin, Ibelin, Evelin, Velin, Evelyn, Evelim, Yvelin, Evelim, Evelym, Yvelim, Velim as per primary records.

The family documented descendants are primarily based in France, England, Portugal, Portuguese Goa (Today part of India).

Regarding Origins

Modern Historians Statement: Origins unknown. Not the brother of Gilduin, abbé at Josaphat, who was not a count of Chartres.

Early Primary Evidence: Origins in Chartres suggested based on charter evidence in 1270, and analysis from the 17th, 19th century and 20th century in recognised publications. Gilduin is referenced as the brother of Bailan le François in private family records of the Ibelin family from family descendants presently in England.

Further discussion of Barisan's origins are welcome at (Barisan "the Old", 1st lord of Ibelin - Origins of Bailan le François.)

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Barisan or Balian I was the founder of the Ibelin family, influential in Palestine during the Crusades, but his origins are unclear. It seems unlikely he is a brother of Guillaume, Vicomte de Chartres as stated in the Lignages d'Outremer, and more likely he was Italian rather than French, perhaps from Pisa. Another theory is that he is Norman with an Italian mother, as Hughes de Puiset, Count of Jaffa, Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem, chose him as his Constable [Conn%C3%A9table].[1] There appears to be no good evidence he was the brother of Hughes, Crusader Count of Jaffa, whose family were from Normandy.

WikiTree contributors, "Barisan (Puiset) Ibelin (abt.1095-abt.1151)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Puiset-1 : accessed 01 March 2025). Note: Guillaume du Puiset was not a vicomte. Did Wikitree intend to write Éverard III du Puiset, vicomte de Chartres?

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His origin is documented as the brother of the Count Guilin de Chartres. QUOTE: { BALIAN, or BARISSAN, was the first member of the Norman family to go out to the Holy Land. The records of the time call him " BALIAN LE FRANCOIS," and say that he was the brother of Count Guilin de Chartres, and that he came to the Holy Land, with ten knights, his vassals. He accompanied Robert, Duke of Normandy, who went out in 1096. }

Source: Lignages d'Outremer, "Balian le Fransois fu frere au comte Guillaumin de Chartres". Note: the same source conflates Balian [I] with Balian [II] (see Medlands). Additionally, there was no such person as a Guilin, count of Chartres. There was a Guilin, abbe at Josaphat. “The circumstances of Gilduin’s arrival in the kingdom of Jerusalem are not recorded, but presumably he joined his brother Hugues who was installed as Lord of Jaffa in 1118.” See more at Cawley’s < Medlands > "D. VIDAMES de CHARTRES."

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He was Seigneur de Yebna (Ibelin) (1141), and Constable of Jaffa and Askalon. Later called “domnus Balianus,” his origin is unknown. His name was originally Barsian. He might have come from northern Italy, perhaps Pisa, Genoa, or perhaps from Sardinia. However, nothing is known of his life before 1115, when he appears as Constable of the County of Jaffa and Askalon.  Some sources suggest his father's name was Barisanus. There is also speculation that his father might have been Hugues du Puiset, 1st Count of Jaffa.

Source: Focus on Ibelin in The Lordships of the Kingdom of Jerusalem in 1187, depicted in a map of 1889 by Claude Reignier Conder.

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Regarding Descent

Balian's descendants were among the most powerful nobles in the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Kingdom of Cyprus. Balian's first son John of Ibelin, the "Old Lord of Beirut", was the leader of the opposition to Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, when the emperor tried to impose imperial authority over the crusader states.

Source: https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/House_of_Ibelin "The family disappeared after the fall of the kingdom of Cyprus in the 15th century."

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Biography

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barisan_of_Ibelin

Barisan of Ibelin or Barisan d'Ibelin, later Balian of Ibelin or Balian d'Ibelin (died 1150/1152) was an important figure in the crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem, and was the founder of the Ibelin family. His name was later written as "Balian" and he is sometimes known as Balian the Elder or Balian I.

Modern historians post the year 1990 claim without supporting evidence but merely speculative theories that: from his name, Barisan was probably from northern Italy (perhaps Pisa or Genoa) or Sardinia. His father was perhaps also a Barisan(us). However, nothing is known of his life before 1115, when he appears as Constable of the County of Jaffa and Askalon. In 1120 he was present at the Council of Nablus, where the first laws of the kingdom were promulgated. Around and before 1122 (probably in 1120), his services were rewarded with a marriage to Helvis of Ramla, daughter of Baldwin I of Ramla. In 1134, when Hugh II of Le Puiset, count of Jaffa, rebelled against King Fulk, Barisan supported the king, and soon became prominent at Fulk's court. In 1141 he was named (some say he inherited it) lord of the newly constructed castle of Yebna, located in the County of Jaffa between Jaffa itself and the fortress of Ascalon, which was at this point still controlled by Fatimid Egypt, and from which his family took the Frenchified name, Ibelin, which also became the Frenchified name of the castle itself. In 1148 Barisan inherited the nearby lordship of Ramla, through his wife Helvis (d. after 1158), daughter of Baudoin I, Lord of Ramla, and wife, whom he married before 1122. That year (1148), Barisan was also present at the council convened at Acre after the arrival of the Second Crusade, at which it was decided to attack Damascus (see Siege of Damascus).

With Helvis, Barisan was the father of:

• Hugues d'Ibelin, Lord of Ramla
• Baudoin d'Ibelin, Lord of Mirabel and Ramla
• Barisan d'Ibelin the Younger (who was known as Balian from the 1160s), Lord of Nablus
• Ermengardis d'Ibelin (1160/1167), Lady of Tiberias, unmarried and without issue
• Stephanie d'Ibelin (d. after 1167), unmarried and without issue

Barisan died in 1150/1152 and Ibelin was inherited by Hugh. Helvis then married Manasses of Hierges, Constable of Jerusalem.

B. LORDS of RAMA (IBELIN)

The origin of this family is unknown but was presumably relatively modest, as contemporary chroniclers were silent on the point. According to the Lignages d'Outremer[777], the first known member of the family, Balian, was the brother of Guilin Vicomte de Chartres. It has also been speculated that the name "Balian" is of Italian origin, being the French version of Barisanus, a name which is found in Pisa and Sardinia. If this is correct, Balian may have been a Pisan who came to Palestine in the entourage of Daibert Archbishop of Pisa, who was appointed Patriarch of Jerusalem[778]. Alternatively, the derivation could be from "inhabitant of Bari" (in Calabria). Rüdt-Collenberg[779] favours a Norman origin from southern Italy. This is based on the likelihood that Hugues du Puiset Count of Jaffa would have chosen a fellow countryman as his constable at Jaffa, and also because the first names of individuals in charters in which Balian is listed are more Norman than Italian in origin (Jordanus, Osmond, Raoul, Humbertus, Ramundus, Radulfus).

Of all the families of Outremer, the Ibelin were unique in the extent of their dynastic connections with the royal families of Jerusalem and Cyprus and the length of time over which their political influence in these states lasted, although they were never promoted to kingship themselves.

-http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/JERUSALEM%20NOBILITY.htm#BalianIbel...

BALIAN [I] ([1070/80]-[Feb 1141/27 Sep 1145). The origin of Balian is not known. According to the Lignages d'Outremer, "Balian le Fransois fu frere au comte Guillaumin de Chartres" but this seems unlikely, the same source conflating Balian [I] with Balian [II][780]. Baudouin I King of Jerusalem confirmed donations to the church of St Marie, Josaphat by charter dated to [1115], including a donation by "…Barianus constabularius Joppæ…"[781]. William of Tyre records "Barisanus Joppe constabularius" among those present at the Council of Nablus in 1120 at which Gormundus Patriarch of Jerusalem delivered a sermon[782]. "Balyanus Joppensis constabularius" donated property to the church of St Jean, Nablus, for the salvation of "uxoris Heluissæ", by charter dated May 1122, confirmed by "Hugone Rametensi, Balduino fratre eius domino Mirabelli, necnon Baliano"[783]. "Barisanus constabularius Joppensis" donated "casale Algie in territorio Ascalonis" to the Hospitallers, with the consent of "Hugonis domini Joppensis, et Emmæ uxoris", by charter dated 17 Jan 1126[784]. William of Tyre records him as "Balianus senior" in 1132[785], suggesting that he was the father of another Balian. Balian was mentioned as a deceased benefactor, along with Guillaume of Bures (who was alive in Feb 1141), in the document confirming the constitution of the hospital of Notre Dame de Josephat, which was sealed by Guillaume Patriarch of Jerusalem, who died 27 Sep 1145, and so although undated must have been issued before that date[786].

m HELVIS, daughter of ---. "Balyanus Joppensis constabularius" donated property to the church of St Jean, Nablus, for the salvation of "uxoris Heluissæ", by charter dated May 1122, confirmed by "Hugone Rametensi, Balduino fratre eius domino Mirabelli, necnon Baliano"[787].

Balian [I] & his wife had [four] children:

• 1. BALIAN [II] (-[1150/52]). .. ... ...
  m ( [1130] ) as her first husband, HELVIS of Rama, daughter of BAUDOUIN Lord of Rama & his wife Stephanie --- ([1115]-after 1158). .. ... ...
  Balian [II] & his wife had six children: ....
• 2. [daughter . This is a speculative connection, to explain the imprecise relationship between the following two brothers and the Ibelin family which is confirmed by the charters quoted below. m --- de Cafran, son of ---.] Two children: ...
• 3. [---. m ---.] One child: a) AUBERT (-after 1175).
• 4. [--- . m ---.] This is a speculative connection, to explain the imprecise relationship between the following person and the Ibelin family which is suggested by the charters quoted below. One child: a) PIERRE de Tellei .

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International studies published on the official Italian encyclopedia in 2005 have no doubts: "certainly originating in Norman Italy"

La famiglia di G., noto come il 'vecchio signore di Beirut', era senz'altro originaria dell'Italia normanna. ... ...

• Il nonno di G., Barisano, ricevette dal re Folco d'Angiò il feudo d'Ibelin, a sud-ovest di Gerusalemme, che divenne il patronimico della famiglia.
  • Suo figlio Baliano (1143-1193) vi aggiunse la signoria di Nablus e intorno al 1177 sposò la vedova di re Amalrico di Gerusalemme, Maria Comnena, un'unione che fece degli Ibelin i parenti più prossimi dei sovrani di Gerusalemme,
    • G. -http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/giovanni-d-ibelin_(Federiciana)/

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Lordship of Ramla

https://www.wikiwand.com/en/articles/Vassals_of_the_Kingdom_of_Jeru...

Originally held by the bishop of Ramla-Lydda, in 1126 Ramla became part of Jaffa, and a separate lordship was created after Hugh II's revolt in 1134. The castle of Ibelin happened to be located quite near Ramla. It was later a part of the Lordship of Ibelin, inherited from Helvis of Ramla, daughter of Baldwin I of Ramla and wife of Barisan of Ibelin. The Lords of Ramla were:

• Baldwin I of Ramla, 1134–1138
• Barisan of Ibelin, 1138–1150
• Manasses of Hierges, 1150–1152
• Hugh of Ibelin, son of Barisan of Ibelin, 1152–1169
• Baldwin of Ibelin, brother of Hugh of Ibelin, 1169–1186
• Thomas of Ibelin, son of Baldwin of Ibelin, 1186–1187
• Ramla occupied by Ayyubids, 1187–1191
• Balian of Ibelin, brother of Baldwin of Ibelin, 1191–1193
• John of Ibelin, son of Balian, 1193–1247
• Lordship held by Counts of Jaffa and Ascalon after 1247.

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A rare 1698 view of Ramla by Dutch artist Cornelius de Bruijin Wikimedia Commons

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Ibelin Castle

"The castles were built on the initiative of the then king, Fulk I, but with wide community co-operation. Castrum Arnaldi was built in 1132 by the patriarch and citizens of Jerusalem at a notorious ambush spot on the Jerusalem road. This was followed in 1136 by the castle at Beth Gibelin, to the east of Ascalon, "by the patriarch William, the magnates", and "the people of the whole kingdom". In 1141 king Fulk, the leading barons, the patriarch and the bishops, made a joint decision to build a castle north of Ascalon at Ibelin, their name for the town of Yibna. The site was a tell to the east of the town, an artificial mound marking an ancient ruins of previous settlements stretching back to biblical times. The castle itself took the form of a square enclosure with four towers, and was entrusted to Barisan, who took his name from the castle and whose family became one of the most influential in the kingdom. The following year the king and the people of the kingdom built Blanchegarde, to the east of Ibelin.[1]"

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibelin_(castle)_

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This map depicts the location of Ibelin, known today as both "Yabneh" and "Yavneh." Not far from the Mediterranean coastline, the former "Ibelin" is about 15 miles (25 km) south of Tel Aviv.

Source: Center and Tel Aviv districts of Israel for pushpin maps via Wikimedia Commons (CCA-SA 3.0 unported license)

Before the Crusaders arrived in the Holy Land, the Ibelin family likely lived in northern Italy. The family’s patriarch, Barisan, came to be known as Balian the Elder. Nothing is known of his life until 1115, when he was Constable of Jaffa.

When a revolt broke out in 1134 between the Count of Jaffa and King Fulk, the ruler of the Kingdom, Barisan supported the king. As a reward, he became prominent in the royal court and, in 1144, Fulk gave the Ibelin family a newly built castle. It was soon called “Ibelin.”

The castle—the Crusaders built many throughout the country—was located (see lower right-hand corner, opposite Jerusalem) about 15 miles (24 kilometers) south of today’s Tel Aviv in a town known to the Greeks as Jamnia and to the Romans as Iamnia. Once an ancient Philistine city, it became a center of Jewish culture in the first century.

Spared by Vespasian, around 70 A.D., Jamnia was fortified by the Crusaders when they arrived in the Holy Land, nearly a thousand years later. In 1948, when Israel became an independent state, the town changed hands and is today called Yavne by Jewish people and Yibna by Palestinians.

Because of their father’s status, Barisan’s children were acquainted with the royal family. In 1177, his youngest son (Balian of Ibelin) married Maria Comnena, the widow (and Dowager Queen) of King Amalric I (Fulk’s second son). Maria, a blood-royal herself, was great-grandniece of Manuel Comnenus, the Byzantine emperor.

Significant to this story, Maria was the stepmother of Sibylla, Amalric’s oldest daughter, and mother of Isabella (the beautiful half-sister of Sibylla who also had a claim to the Jerusalem throne).

During the time of tension caused by Baldwin IV’s leprosy and death, Balien of Ibelin opposed Guy of Lusignan and supported Raymond of Tripoli as the king’s regent. When Guy and Sibylla carried out their successful coup, Balien’s brother was so upset that he left the country for Antioch.

Balien, however, ultimately paid homage to the man he had once opposed.

According to Ibn al-Athir, the Muslim historian, Balien of Ibelin was “a lord who held a rank among the Franj more or less equal to that of king. "

Source: < "BALIEN of IBELIN" >

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Genealogical tree of Barisan-le-Vieux of Ibelin

Source: Mayer, Hans Eberhard. "Carving up Crusaders: The Early Ibelins and Ramlas." Page 101-118 in Outremer: Studies in the History of the Crusading Kingdom of Jerusalem. Presented to Joshua Prawer by Kedar, Benjamin Z.; Mayer, Hans Eberhard, 1932-; Smail, R. C (Publication date 1982). Chart, page 111 < Archive.Org >

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References

1. Jerusalem Nobility: B. Lords of Rama (Ibelin) < Medlands > The origin of this family is unknown but was presumably relatively modest, as contemporary chroniclers were silent on the point. According to the Lignages d'Outremer [777], the first known member of the family, Balian, was the brother of Guilin Vicomte de Chartres. It has also been speculated that the name "Balian" is of Italian origin, being the French version of Barisanus, a name which is found in Pisa and Sardinia. If this is correct, Balian may have been a Pisan who came to Palestine in the entourage of Daibert Archbishop of Pisa, who was appointed Patriarch of Jerusalem [778]. Alternatively, the derivation could be from "inhabitant of Bari" (in Calabria). Rüdt-Collenberg [779] favours a Norman origin from southern Italy. This is based on the likelihood that Hugues du Puiset Count of Jaffa would have chosen a fellow countryman as his constable at Jaffa, and also because the first names of individuals in charters in which Balian is listed are more Norman than Italian in origin (Jordanus, Osmond, Raoul, Humbertus, Ramundus, Radulfus). Of all the families of Outremer, the Ibelin were unique in the extent of their dynastic connections with the royal families of Jerusalem and Cyprus and the length of time over which their political influence in these states lasted, although they were never promoted to kingship themselves. ... Cites:
   1. [777] Lignages d'Outremer, Le Vaticanus Latinus 4789, CCC.XXXVII, p. 97.
   2. [778] Richard, J. 'Guy Ibelin OP, évêque de Limassol et l'inventaire de ses biens', Bulletin de correspondence héllenique 74 (1950), 98-100, cited in Murray (2000), p. 188, and Rüdt-Collenberg (1965), p. 436.
   3. [779] Rüdt-Collenberg (1965), pp. 473-4.
2. Röhricht, Reinhold. Regesta regni Hierosolymitami (1097-1291). (1893) Page (30/678). 1122. 1) Maj., ind. VIII, epact. XI, concurr. V. — Balyanus, Joppensis constabularius, consensu Balduini II regis et Hugonis Joppensis «consulis»,2) cutocothroffii S. Johannis Neapolitani 3) ecclesiae redecimationem integram de Mirabel, Luceri, Marescalcie, Rentie et Kafreherre pro salute sua et uxoris Heluissae donat, Hugone Ramatensi, Balduino, fratre ejus, domino Mirabelli, necnon Baliano confirmantibus. — Adam de Rammis, Balduinus Colepance, Hymbertus presbyter, Ordelet, Johannes Castor, Arrabi, Eurardus, Anselmus, Philippus, Ramundus, Radulphus, Petrus, supradicti cutocothroffii famuli, Anscherius senescalcus (Paoli I, p. 236, No. 191 ; cf. p. 546). Hoc privilegium (ut chartam 29 April. 1 1 66) J., abbas S. Sepulchri, et Adam, archidiaconus Acconensis (c. 1 250), se vidisse confirmant (Delaville le Roulx, p. 1.
   1. Anno 1122 fuit indictio XV, concurr. VI; epact. XI bene quadrat.
   2. De hoc Hugone II de Puisato cf. Comte de Mas Latrie in Archivio Veneto 1879, XVIII, p. 381 — 385.
   3. Inscriptionem Hospitalis nostri a. 1180 a Rogerio magistro ordinis reaedificati citat Rohricht, ZDP V. X, p. 244 — 245.
3. Riley-Smith, Jonathan, The First Crusaders, 1095-1131, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1997. Page 172. < GoogleBooks > ‘Balian [Barisan] the Frenchman was the brother of County Guilin of Chartres. [23] There never was a count of Chartres of that name and this has always been rejected as myth.
4. Murray, Allan V. The Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem, a dynastic history 1099-1125. Oxford University Press: 2000. Page 187-188. < Archive.Org > (free ID needed to borrow.)
5. Du Cange, Charles Du Fresne (1610-1688). Le familles d'Outre-Mer de Du Cange / publ. par M. E.-G. Rey,... Imprimerie impériale (Paris) (1869) Contributor : Rey, Emmanuel-Guillaume (1837-1916). Éditeur scientifique https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6215989c/f393.item.r=guildin
6. Mayer, Hans Eberhard. "Carving up Crusaders: The Early Ibelins and Ramlas." Page 101-118 in Outremer: Studies in the History of the Crusading Kingdom of Jerusalem. Presented to Joshua Prawer by Kedar, Benjamin Z.; Mayer, Hans Eberhard, 1932-; Smail, R. C (Publication date 1982). < Archive.Org >
7. Real Crusades History: Origins of the House of Ibelin - Barisan, First Baron Ibelin (January 30, 2020) < link > cites
   1. 1. Edbury PW. The house of Ibelin. In: The Kingdom of Cyprus and the Crusades, 1191–1374. Cambridge University Press; 1991:39-73. p. 39. The ibelin family was the most prominent noble house in Cyprus during the centuries of Lusignan rule. Its pre-twelfth-century origins are unknown: a tradition found in an early fourteenth-century source linked the family with the viscounts of Chartres, but this claim cannot stand critical scrutiny, and onomastic evidence points to a presumably less exalted Italian background, perhaps in Pisa or Sardinia. The founder of the Ibelin's fortunes in the East was a certain Barisan or Balian ‘the Elder’, who by the second decade of the twelfth century had become castellan of Jaffa. In the early 1140s King Fulk granted him the castle and lordship of Ibelin (the modern Yavne) to hold as a fief in the county of Jaffa. Marriage to an heiress brought Barisan another important fief in the same county, the lordship of Ramla, and thereafter he and his descendants were numbered among the leading barons in the kingdom of Jerusalem. In the next generation Barisan's three sons, Hugh, Baldwin and Balian, came to the fore. Balian advanced the family's standing still further when in 1177 he married Maria Comnena, the widow of King Amaury of Jerusalem and the mother of the future Queen Isabella I (1192–1205). So by the end of the twelfth century, with Balian's two sons by Maria the half-brothers of the then queen, the Ibelins' lasting pre-eminence in the kingdom of Jerusalem was assured.
   2. Edbury, Peter. John of Ibelin and the Kingdom of Jerusalem. (1997) p 4. now suggesting Tuscan or Ligurian origins.
   3. Sir Steven Runciman, in contrast, claimed that the house of Ibelin “was founded by the younger brother of a certain Guelin, who was deputy viscount of Chartres, that is to say, the Count of Blois’ representative in Chartres; and such officers in those days did not enjoy hereditary rank but were often drawn from lawyers’ families.
   4. Indeed, Hans Eberhard Mayer in his meticulous examination of charter evidence published in his essay "Carving up Crusader: the Early Ibelins and Ramla," [published in Mayer, Hans Eberhard. Kings and Lords in the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem. Ashgate. 1994, XV] shows that Barisan never used the title of "Ramla." On the other hand, Renier entered a successful claim to Ramla when he came of age in 1143 or 1144. Renier died in 1148, however, without issue and the title at that time passed to Helvis, his sister -- not to Barisan.
8. Evelyn, Helen. The History of the Evelyn Family (Eveleigh Nash, London, 1915) page 540. < Archive.Org > Balian acquitted himself with much honour and skill in the defence of this place, as did his children after him, up till the time when the town of Ascalon was conquered and temporarily held by the Christians. Balian died in the year 1155. His wife was Helvis, daughter and heiress of Baldwin, Seigneur of Rama and Mirabel. BALIAN, or BARISSAN, was the first member of the Norman family to go out to the Holy Land. The records of the time call him " BALIAN LE FRANCOIS," and say that he was the brother of Count Guilin de Chartres, and that he came to the Holy Land, with ten knights, his vassals. He accompanied Robert, Duke of Normandy, who went out in 1096. Du Cange, in his Families d? outre Mer, writes : " It is not easy to guess who was this Guilin de Chartres, seeing that in those days the County of Chartres was held by the Counts of Blois, which gives us reason to think that this Guilin was Viscount de Chartres, and that his name was not Guilin but Gilduin ; as we find a Viscount de Chartres of that name in documents of the year 1028, from whom are descended other Viscounts of the family of Puiset. Among the children of Hugues du Puiset, Viscount of Chartres, certain documents name : Hugues, who succeeded him, Guy Viscount d'Estampes, Valeran Seigneur de Villepreux, and Gilduin. What further confirms this theory is that the Sire de Joinville gives as the arms of the family of Ivelin, or, a cross pattee gules, which cross the English heralds give to the house of Puiset, though they do not coincide as to the tinctures."
9. https://archive.org/details/kedar-mayer-smail-outremer/page/112/mod... … But the real proof of a forgery is the consent of a Ba/ianus, a synonym for Barisan. The charter was issued by Barisan-le-Vieux, Constable of Jaffa, with the consent of his lord Hugh, “‘consul” of Jaffa, and the king and founder of the hospital, Baldwin II. This is perfectly in order. It was made for the salvation of the soul of Barisan-le-Vieux, of his ancestors (we wish we knew who they were) and of his wife Helvis. Consents are given by Hugh, Lord of Ramla, and his brother Baldwin, Lord of Mirabel. …
10. “Balian the Old” (Baxter, Robert et al, October 16, 2000). < soc.genealogy.medieval > “Does anyone have the connection of Balian the Old of Ibelin to the Vicomtes de Chartres? Runciman says he was a brother but doesn't elucidate. …”
11. Balian the Old” (Stewart, Peter, October 16, 2000, 2nd & 3rd msg) < soc.genealogy.medieval > Runciman didn't pay enough attention to genealogy: the origins of Balian and a possible relationship to the Le Puiset viscounts of Chartres had been much discussed before the publication of his magnum opus. The theory was first advanced by Du Cange, and apart from some questionable heraldic evidence his main source was in Lignages d'Outremer (Assises de Jérusalem II), chapter viii, which says that Balin was a brother of "conte Guilin de Chartres". This was taken to identify Guilduin, viscount of Chartres in 1028, founder of the dynasty of seigneurs of Le Puiset and counts of Jaffa, where Balian was constable at that time. The reasons why this could not be correct are set out in John La Monte's article *The Lords of Le Puiset on the Crusades* in Speculum 17 (1942), which you can find in most university libraries. A more distant relationship may still be possible, although the balance of probabilities is against this. .... Please excuse my reckless disregard for chronology - Balian the Old was of course constable of Jaffa about a century after his purported brother was viscount of Chartres, which is not the least compelling reason why the information is suspect. ... "
12. Balian the Old” (Bunot, Jean, October 17, 2000, 2 msgs) < soc.genealogy.medieval > If my memory is not failing me, the best authority on crusader families and dynasts is Count Rüdt-Collenberg. I even believe he is the aknowledged specialist on the Ibelin family. He as writen several books and articles (in French) pertaining to that family. He uses contemporary sources (latin, byzantine, armenian, etc). Again if my memory is correct, the Balian do not have any relation to the vicomtes de Chartres. They are descended from a certain Barisanus, of undetermined christian (Syrian ?) local origine, who rose to power with the arrival of the Crusaders. For the complete informations, please look for Rüdt- Collenberg books.I hope this will help. .... After making a rapid verification, it would appear that in a later article Count Rüdt-Collenberg proposes another origin for the Ibelin dynasty. Barisanus, castellan of Jaffa and earliest known ancestor of the Ibelin family,would rater have a yet undetermined Italian background (probably Pisa-Sardinia or Norman Sicilian). In any case, he still had absolutely no family connection to the vicomte.
13. Ismail, Dana Celst Asmoui. (2013). "A History of the Counts of Brienne (950 – 1210)" < PDF > Page 94 - 95. In his work on the Le Puiset dynasty, of the many branches of this family and their common progenitor, John La Monte noted that according to Bishop William Stubbs who wrote at the beginning of the twentieth century: The Lords of Ibelin and Mirabel, sprung from the house of Puiset, viscounts of Chartres, and closely connected with the counts of Champagne and Blois’ were descended from Balian le Francois…described as brother of Count Guillin of Chartres, by which we are to understand that he was a relation of Hugh de Puiset count of Joppa, son of Everard and grandson of Geldewin viscount of Chartres. His name Balian is likely a softened form of Waleran. 94 La Monte further observed that although Stubbs cited DuCange as an authoritative reference, DuCange had taken liberties to advance the suggestion as indisputable fact. The one apparently conclusive statement concerning the origins of the house of Ibelin comes from the Lignages of Outremer which noted ‘Balian le Fransois fu frere au conte Guillaumin [Guillin] de Chartres, et vint desa mer soi disenne de chevaliers…Ledit Balian espousa Helvis, la seur Phelipe de Naples..’ 95. DuCange was of the opinion that Guillin could not possibly have been the count of Chartres because the county of Chartres was held by the counts of Blois. He argued that Guillin was in all likelihood Guilduin, viscount of Chartres in 1028 and founder of the house of Le Puiset.96 (Hildouin IV de Breteuil, Vicomte de Chartres (970-1060)). In support of this theory, DuCange turned to Joinville’s description of the cross patée of the Ibelin that was, with slight exception to the colour pattern, the same cross patée as that of the Le Puisets of England. 97 To counter this suggestion, La Monte claimed that difference in the colours of the two cross patées is significant for this leaves only the cross as the common feature of the patées. Indeed, Joinville noted that John of Ibelin was ‘cousin germane of the count of Montbéliard and of the lineage of Joinville’. 98
14. Ismail, Dana Celst Asmoui. (2013). "A History of the Counts of Brienne (950 – 1210)" < PDF > Page 175. Whilst this Brienne cousin was reaping the benefits of his relationship with the Montlhéry, another Brienne cousin, Barisan the Old, founder of the prominent house of Ibelin, had likely also arrived. Barisan rose swiftly to prominence, rather uncommon for someone who appears to have been a rear - vassal; by the 1160s, the Ibelin were one of the leading noble families of Palestine.20 Indeed, if nothing else, his ascent to affluence and influence attests that family connections were all - important in the Levant.
    1. 13. P.W. Edbury, John of Ibelin and the Kingdom of Jerusalem (Woodbridge, 1997) John of Ibelin, count of Jaffa and Ascalon (d. 1266), was one of the foremost politicians in the kingdom of Jerusalem in the mid-thirteenth century; his family was prominent in the Latin East, and linked by ties of marriage to theroyal dynasties of both Jerusalem and Cyprus. John's career and his ancestors' rise to prominence are the subject of the first half of this book. The second concentrates on John's most lasting achievement, his treatise on the pleading, procedures and customs of the High Court of the kingdom of Jerusalem, which includes descriptions of the ecclesiastical hierarchy, the juridical structure and the military capacity of the kingdom; this material provides invaluable insights into the kingdom's institutions, government and resources; it is here re-edited from the best surviving manuscripts and discussed in detail.
    2. 94. La Monte, ‘Le Puiset’, p. 113: W. Stubbs, Seventeen Lectures on Mediaeval and Modern History. 3 rd edn (Oxford, 1900), p. 190 and note.
    3. 95 Lignages d’Outremer, ed. M - A. Nielen (Paris, 2003), p. 97: RHC, II, 435 - 74
    4. 96 C. Du Fresne Du Cange, Les Familles, p. 361.
    5. 97 Joinville noted, D’or a une croiz de gueules patee. Joinville, Vie, p. 256.
    6. 98 Joinville, Vie, p. 77
15. Lawrence, T. E. Crusader castles (1988). < Archive.Org >
16. Kennedy, Hugh N. Crusader castles (1994). < Archive.Org >
17. "BALIEN of IBELIN" < PDF >
18. "House of Ibelin" < military-history.fandcom.com >
19. Ramla: Palestine’s Forgotten Capital. < link > Andrew Petersen uncovers the city that was once the Palestinian capital and suggests reasons for its decline in the 11th century.
20. WikiTree contributors, "Barisan (Puiset) Ibelin (abt.1095-abt.1151)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Puiset-1 : accessed 01 March 2025). (Linked as son of Hugues I Puiset and Adele Monthery, unsupported in biography and sources.). Research Notes: His parentage as currently given appear to be incorrect.
21. Vassals of the Kingdom of Jerusalem Lordship of Ibelin. The Lordship of Ibelin was also created out of Jaffa (in the 1140s, or perhaps as early as 1134 after Hugh II's revolt). The lordship was given as a reward to Barisan of Ibelin, whose wife Helvis of Ramla already owned lands in the vicinity. The castle of Ramla, the family's other inheritance, was nearby, and together these territories formed a wealthy entity. Balian of Ibelin married Maria Comnena, widow of Amalric I of Jerusalem, and the Ibelins became the most powerful noble family of the kingdom, later ruling also over Beirut (see Lordship of Beirut, below).
22. House of Ibelin The House of Ibelin was a noble family in the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem in the 12th century. They rose from relatively humble beginnings to become one of the most important families in the kingdom, holding various high offices and with extensive holdings in the Holy Land and Cyprus. The family disappeared after the fall of the Kingdom of Cyprus in the 15th century.