By Omar Afifi '24

King Amalric ruled Jerusalem from 1163 until 1174 when he died from dysentery (blood diarrhea). This seal was some time during the reign of King Amalric. His reign was soon after the First Crusade when the Christians took over Jerusalem in 1099. Amalric is the eighth to rule the newly created Chrsitian kingdom of Jerusalem. The order of the predecessor rulers from the oldest to most recent: Godfrey, Baldwin I, Baldwin II, Melisende, Fulk, Baldwin III, Amalric. 

King Amalric gave rise to one of the region’s most powerful generals: Saladin. Amalric was constantly attempting to expand westward towards Egypt. After many unsuccessful attempts to invade Egypt without the necessary help from the Byzantine Empire, they struck a truce with Saladin, the Vizier of Egypt at the time. The battles fought in Egypt weakened Amalric’s kingdom. The battles won by Saladin fending off the Christian forces promoted Saladin’s position. He was appointed as Sultan after the death of the last Fatimid caliph in 1171.