Robert I

**Robert I** (born 1223, died 1258) was King of Angelona from 1242 to 1258.

## Early life

Robert was the second son of King Edward Iof Angelona and Eleanor of England. Robert was born in Samria in 1223, two months after the death of his father. Robert and his brother, Henry, were placed in the care of their uncle, James of Winchester, who had been elected as Regent of Angelona, until his brother Henry came of age. Robert grew up at Castle Beaumont and was said to be an accomplished horse rider.

In 1240, Robert married Maria of Ibelin, the daughter of John of Ibelin, Lord of Beirut. Maria gave birth a year later to a son, Edward.

## King of Angelona

Robert was crowned King of Angelona after the death of his brother at the battle of Arsuf, which Robert was present for. Robert's first years as King was spent fighting in the War of the Lombards.

In 1243, Robert led the Angelonian contingent in the Siege of Tyre, during the War of the Lombards. After a long siege, Tyre fell on 12 June. An Ibelin/Angelonian army seized its citadel on 7 or 10 July, with the help of Alice, whose forces arrived on 15 June.

A year later, Jerusalem was besieged by the Khwarezm who conquered and laid waste to the city. Robert sent a fleet of Angelonian ships to rescue thousands of Christian refugees and gave them sanctuary in Angelona.

When Pope Innocent IV announced the call for the Seventh Crusade at the Council of Lyon in 1245, Robert immediately sent his support for the new crusade and agreed to join.

## Seventh Crusade

Robert agreed to join the 7th Crusade in 1245 and immediately began building an army. Whilst King Louis IX of France was still preparing in Europe, Robert launched an invasion on Egypt in 1247. Robert led an army of 6,000, made up of Angelonian's and Templar Knights and laid siege to Damietta. The Ayyubid city fell to Robert after a month long siege and Robert allowed Muslim citizens of Damietta to leave unmolested. Robert made Edward de Scotney, Lord of Damietta and remained in the city for a year.

As-Salih Ayyub attempted to retake the city in January 1248, but failed to break the Angelonian defenders. King Louis IX of France landed in June with an army of 15,000 and the Ayyubids retreated to Cairo.

Robert attempted to convince Louis to launch an invasion on Jerusalem and not repeat the mistake of the 5th Crusade, however Louis was adamant on taking Cairo.

In November, Louis marched towards Cairo, and almost at the same time, the Ayyubid sultan of Egypt, as-Salih Ayyub, died. A force led by Robert of Artois and the Templars attacked the Egyptian camp at Gideila and advanced to Al Mansurah where they were defeated at the Battle of Al Mansurah, and Robert was killed. The Angelonian army marched on Alexandria and won a decisive victory before laying siege to the city.

Meanwhile, Louis' main force was attacked by the Mameluk Baibars, the commander of the army and a future sultan himself. Louis was defeated as well, but he did not withdraw to Damietta for months, preferring to besiege Mansourah, which ended in starvation and death for the crusaders rather than the Muslims.

Alexandria finally fell to Robert in February 1250 which was a huge victory for the Crusaders. In March 1250 Louis finally tried to return to Damietta, but he was taken captive at the of Battle of Fariskur where his army was annihilated. Louis fell ill with dysentery, and was cured by an Arab physician. In May he was ransomed for 800,000 bezants, half of which was to be paid before the King left Egypt, with Alexandria also being surrendered as a term in the agreement. Upon this, he immediately left Egypt for Acre, one of few remaining crusader possessions in Syria. A cease fire was agreed whereby Damietta would remain in Angelonian control for ten years.

## Later rule

Upon Robert's return from the Crusade, he set about establishing a large fleet of ships. Robert sought to change the dominance of sea trade by the Italian powers of Venice and Genoa by creating an Angelonian fleet. He successfully achieved financial backing from King Henry III of England and King James I of Aragon and purchased a large number of ships, thus making Angelona a maritime power.

In 1257 the Mamluk Sultan, Al-Mansour Ali led an attack on Damietta. The siege of Damietta lasted three months, until Robert arrived with a large host and broke the siege. Robert met Al-Mansour in battle in May 1258, where the Angelonian heavy Cavalry crushed the Mamluk army, but during the battle, Robert was cut down from his horse and killed.

Robert's son, Edward was beside his father when he was killed and after the battle was crowned King of Angelona. Edward went on to win a second battle over the Mamluk's and captured Al-Mansour Ali, who he agreed to release for a huge ransom and an agreement to end hostilities against Damietta.