Raimundo II of Tripoli

Early Life and Marriage

Raimundo II of Tripoli (c. 1115-1152) was a count of Tripoli from 1137 until his death. He was the son of Ponce de Tripoli and Cecilia of France.

In 1135, Raimundo married Hodierna, the daughter of King Balduin II of Jerusalem.

Succession to County

Later that same year, in 1137, Raimundo succeeded his father as count of Tripoli after Ponce's death in battle against the army of the Sultan of Damascus. Raimundo was present at the battle and considered the Syrian Christians of Tripoli responsible for the betrayal that led to his father's defeat and death. In response, he imprisoned a large number of them, tortured, and killed them, actions that were praised by the Latin Christians of his county.

Conflict with Zengi

In 1137, the atabeg Zengi of Aleppo and Mosul besieged the castle of Baarin in the territory of Tripoli. Raimundo asked for help from King Fulco (also known as Fulk) of Jerusalem, but Zengi defeated them in a camp battle outside the castle and took Raimundo prisoner. Despite being imprisoned, Zengi continued the siege, but began to negotiate with the defenders when he learned that further rescues were coming from Raimondo d'Antiochia (Raymond of Antioch), Joscelin II of Edessa, and the Byzantine Emperor John II Comnenus, who was in Antioch at the time.

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