Did Baldwin IV have leprosy?
Baldwin was the son of Amalric of Jerusalem and his first wife Agnes of Courtenay. He developed first symptoms of leprosy as a child, but was only diagnosed after his father died and he became king in 1174.
What kind of leprosy did King Baldwin have?
tuberculoid
The earliest sign of Baldwin’s disease is anaesthesia. Though skin lesions are not described, it is likely that at this point he had a tuberculoid form of leprosy. As his disease finally takes a lepromatous form, we suspect that it began as a borderline, immunologically unstable form.
Who was the king that had leprosy?
King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem
Despite demonstrating incipient signs of lepromatous leprosy, King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem, “The Leper King” (Figure), was crowned the sixth Latin King of Jerusalem in 1174 at the age of 13 years, even though Jerusalem and the Crusader States were surrounded and imperiled by a large, united enemy.
Do lepers feel pain?
This nerve damage may result in a lack of ability to feel pain, which can lead to the loss of parts of a person’s extremities from repeated injuries or infection due to unnoticed wounds. An infected person may also experience muscle weakness and poor eyesight.
Why does King Baldwin IV wear a mask?
In Jerusalem, King Baldwin IV (Edward Norton) is busy dying of leprosy. He’s wearing a silver mask that makes him look a bit like the Green Goblin, but he can be forgiven that, because he reminisces correctly about his victory as a 16-year-old lad over Saladin’s forces at the Battle of Montgisard.
How did King Baldwin of Jerusalem get leprosy?
According to Tyre, the leprosy first manifested itself as a lack of feeling in Baldwin’s right hand. However, initially, Baldwin retained the use of his other limbs and did not suffer from noticeable disfigurement. His illness was kept quiet.
How old was Baldwin when William of Tyre discovered leprosy?
William of Tyre discovers Baldwin’s first symptoms of leprosy (MS of L’Estoire d’Eracles (French translation of William of Tyre’s Historia), painted in France, 1250s. British Library, London.) Baldwin’s father died in 1174 and the boy was crowned on 15 July that year, at the age of 13.
How did King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem die?
However, in June, William died at Ascalon after several weeks’ illness, leaving the widowed Sibylla pregnant with the future Baldwin V of Jerusalem. In August the king’s first cousin, Philip of Flanders, came to Jerusalem on crusade.
Who was the first cousin of Baldwin the leper?
Philip, as Baldwin’s closest male kin on his paternal side (he was Fulk’s grandson and thus Baldwin’s first cousin; Raymond was Melisende’s nephew and thus first cousin of Baldwin’s father), claimed authority superseding Raymond’s regency. The Haute Cour refused to agree to this, with Baldwin of Ibelin publicly insulting Philip.