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Hodierna Of TripoliHodierna of Tripoli (c. 1110-c. 1164) was the daughter of Baldwin II of Jerusalem and the Armenian noblewoman Morphia. She was countess of Tripoli through her marriage to Raymond II of Tripoli. Hodierna was the third of four daughters; her older sisters were Melisende (wife of Fulk of Jerusalem) and Alice (wife of Bohemund II of Antioch), and her younger sister was Ioveta (who became a nun). The four sisters were close; Hodierna may have asked Melisende to arrange for the assassination of Alphonse I of Toulouse, son of Raymond IV of Toulouse, in 1148, when Alphonse came to claim the County of Tripoli. Hodierna supported Melisende in her struggle with her son (Hodierna's nephew) Baldwin III. Melisende ended up on the losing side by 1152, but she was given a small fief to rule in Nablus, where she and Hodierna were able to influence the election of the Latin Patriarch. Around the same time, Hodierna was in the middle of a dispute with her husband Raymond II of Tripoli, whom she had married around 1135. Hodierna, like her sisters, was very independent, but Raymond was a jealous man and kept her in seclusion. There were even rumours that their daughter (also named Melisende) was fathered by a different man. Her sister Melisende and her nephew Baldwin came north to intervene in 1152. Hodierna and Raymond agreed to reconcile, but it was also decided that Hodierna should return to Jerusalem with Melisende for a short time. Almost as soon as they had left Tripoli, Raymond was killed by the Hashshashin. Hodierna immediately returned to assume the regency of the county for her son Raymond III, who was still a child. Baldwin ensured the support of the nobles of the county, and Hodierna allowed him to give the castle of Tortosa to the Knights Templar, in order to defend from an attack by Nur ad-Din, who invaded when he heard of Raymond's death. Hodierna remained by Melisende's side when Melisende lay dying in 1161. Now rid of the influence of his mother, Baldwin III took personal control of Nablus, exchanging it with Philip of Milly who received the lordship of Oultrejordain in return. Hodierna gave her assent to this transaction on behalf of Melisende. Her daughter Melisende was supposed to marry Byzantine emperor Manuel I Comnenus; the deal seemed to be confirmed and the young Melisende was even referred to as "the future empress." However, Manuel learned of her supposed illegitimacy, and instead married Maria of Antioch. Hodierna died at an unknown date, probably in the 1160s. Sources - Steven Runciman, A History of the Crusades, vol. 1. Cambridge, 1951.
- William of Tyre, Historia rerum in partibus transmarinis gestarum.
- Hans E. Mayer, The Crusades. Oxford, 1965.
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