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In 1177, the Crusader kingdom was facing the prospect of a succession crisis. King Baldwin IV was a leper and could not leave an heir. His sister Sibylla had been left widowed and pregnant by William of Montferrat, and the nobles of the kingdom began to seek another suitable husband. In the run up to the battle of Montgisard, Baldwin muses on the meaning of the Lily, the symbol of virtue and cleanliness. The Battle of Montgisard was fought between Saladin and the Kingdom of Jerusalem on November 25, 1177. The 16 year old King Baldwin IV, led an out-numbered Christian force against the army of Saladin. The Islamic force was routed and their casualties were massive, only a fraction managed to flee to safety. Much of the story is the basis for the film Kingdom of Heaven.
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