Robert of St. Albans
| Robert of St. Albans | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1150s/60s Kingdom of England |
| Died | 1187 Near Jerusalem, Ayyubid Sultanate |
| Allegiance | Knights Templar (before 1185) Ayyubid dynasty (1185–1187) |
| Branch | Saladin's Army |
| Conflicts | Crusades Battle of Hattin Siege of Jerusalem |
Robert of St Albans (Latin: Robertus de Saneto Albano; died 1187) was an English Templar Knight who converted to Islam from Christianity in 1185.[1] In 1187, he led an army for Saladin[2] against the Crusaders during the Battle of Hattin as well as the reconquest of Jerusalem,[3] which was at the time under the control of the Franks.[4]
Robert married the niece of Saladin.[5] In 1187, Robert fought for Saladin against the Crusaders during the Battle of Hattin and the Siege of Jerusalem.[6] Robert died the same year outside of Jerusalem.[7] It was stated that: “He devastated the country around Nablus and was killed outside Jerusalem in 1187.”[8]
According to Roger of Howden, Robert promised to deliver Saladin the city of Jerusalem, married his niece, became a Prince and was made a leader of Saladin's army.[9] However, the historian Helen J. Nicholson calls into question the validity of Howden's account, stating that it "reads like a fairy tale".[10]
Notes
See also
References
- Back to citation Roger of Hoveden (1869). Stubbs, William (ed.). Chronica Magistri Rogeri de Houedene: 2 (in Latin). London: Longmans, Green, and Co. Retrieved 25 November 2025; Richard, Jean (2003). "The adventure of John Gale, Knight of Tyre". In Edbury, Peter; Phillips, Jonathan (eds.). The Experience of Crusading Volume 2. Defining the Crusader Kingdom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521781515. Retrieved 26 November 2025; Siedschlag, Beatrice Nina. English Participation in the Crusades, 1150-1220. p. 49.
- Back to citation Freeman, Edward Augustus. The Reign of William Rufus and the Accession of Henry the First. Vol. 2. p. 123.
- Back to citation Childress, David Hatcher. Pirates and the Lost Templar Fleet. p. 94.
- Back to citation Daraul, Arkon. A History of Secret Societies. p. 46.
- Back to citation Edbury, Peter W. M; Phillips, Jonathan P; Riley-Smith, Jonathan Simon Christopher. The Experience of Crusading. Vol. 1. p. 195.
- Back to citation Richard, Jean (2003). "The adventure of John Gale, Knight of Tyre". In Edbury, Peter; Phillips, Jonathan (eds.). The Experience of Crusading Volume 2. Defining the Crusader Kingdom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521781515. Retrieved 26 November 2025; Freeman, Edward Augustus. The Reign of William Rufus and the Accession of Henry the First. Vol. 2. p. 123; Childress, David Hatcher. Pirates and the Lost Templar Fleet. p. 94; Daraul, Arkon. A History of Secret Societies. p. 46.
- Back to citation Richard, Jean (2003). "The adventure of John Gale, Knight of Tyre". In Edbury, Peter; Phillips, Jonathan (eds.). The Experience of Crusading Volume 2. Defining the Crusader Kingdom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521781515. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
- Back to citation Edbury, Peter. The Experience of Crusading. Vol. 2. Cambridge University Press. p. 195.
- Back to citation Roger of Hoveden (1869). Stubbs, William (ed.). Chronica Magistri Rogeri de Houedene: 2 (in Latin). London: Longmans, Green, and Co. Retrieved 25 November 2025; Röhricht, Reinhold (1898). Geschichte Des Königreichs Jerusalem (1100-1291) (in German). Innsbruck: Universitätsverlag Wagner. p. 411. Retrieved 27 November 2025; Keightley, Thomas (1848). "The Templars". Secret societies of the Middle Ages with Illustrations. New Edition. London: C. Cox. p. 201. Retrieved 26 November 2025.
- Back to citation Nicholson, Helen J. (1993). "The representation of the military orders in literary sources and legand". Templars, Hospitallers and Teutonic Knights: Images of the Military Orders, 1128-1291. Leicester: Leicester University Press. pp. 84–85. ISBN 0718514114. Retrieved 27 November 2025.
- Back to citation Baxter, James Houston; Johnson, Charles; Willard, James Field (1932). An index of British and Irish Latin writers, A.D. 400-1520. p. 134. “200. RALPH or Robert of ST. ALBANS or of Dunstable (c. 1180?) Passio S. Albani [excerpts], ed. J. Ussher, Britannicarum Insularum Antiquitates, 158-9, 987. Dublin, 1639. Metrical lives of saints. MSS.”