ROMSO Cyprus Knowledge Base

Henry of Besmedin or Henry of Gibelet

Henry of Besmedin, also known as Henry of Gibelet or Henri de Giblet, was a Cypriot nobleman who served as the Lord of Besmedin in the county of Tripoli. Born into the House Embriaco, he was the son of Raimund von Gibelet, Lord of Besmedin, and his second marriage to Alix of Soudin.

Following the death of his father, Henry succeeded him as Lord of Besmedin, inheriting a significant portion of the county's lands. He married Margaret of Morf, daughter of Balduin of Morf, Lord of Cueillies, with whom he had two children: John and Mary. The family's connections to other noble families in the region are evident through Henry's marriage to Margarita de Le Plessis, daughter of Jean d'Amiens.

In 1289, the county of Tripoli fell to the Mamluks, prompting Henry to flee to Cyprus. Despite his efforts to escape the turmoil, he was ultimately murdered on September 9, 1310, in Nicosia, and buried in the local monastery of St. Francis. This tragic event marked the end of an era for the House Embriaco in Tripoli.

Henry's legacy as a member of the noble class is evident through his association with prominent families in the region. His story serves as a testament to the complex web of alliances and rivalries that defined the medieval world, particularly in the context of Cyprus' strategic location at the crossroads of Eastern and Western Europe.