Baldwin III was King of Jerusalem from 1143 to 1163. Baldwin III was the king of the Crusader state of Jerusalem from 1143 to 63. His reputation among his contemporaries earned him the title of “ideal king.”

He was the eldest son of Melisende and Fulk of Jerusalem. He became a king while still a child, and was at first overshadowed by his mother Melisende, whom he eventually defeated in a civil war. During his reign, Jerusalem became more closely allied with the Byzantine Empire, and the Second Crusade tried and failed to conquer Damascus. Baldwin captured the important Egyptian fortress of Ascalon but also had to deal with the increasing power of Nur ad-Din in Syria. He died childlessly and was succeeded by his brother Amalric.

Illustrated here is a cracked billon coinage issued during the reign of Baldwin III (1143-1163). The coin depicts the Tower of David on the reverse.

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