Miles of Plancy
Miles of Plancy (French: Milon, Latin: Milo; died October 1174) was a French-born nobleman who rose to high offices in the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
A regent was not immediately appointed to rule in the boy king's name, and so Miles duly assumed the government in his capacity as seneschal.
[1] The historian Jean Richard asserts that Miles was related to the Montlhérys,[2] who were the maternal kin of King Baldwin II (r.
[5] He is first mentioned in King Amalric's confirmation of a grant by the nobleman Philip of Milly to the Order of the Knights Templar in January 1166.
[7] Helena's husband, Walter III Brisebarre, was forced by King Amalric to surrender his ancestral lordship, Beirut.
William of Tyre, who chronicled the events, writes that Cairo could have been taken by storm, but Miles advised the king to exact a tribute from the defenders instead.
The king assembled an army to confront him, but they were shocked when they saw the size of Saladin's force and could not prevent him from breaking into Gaza, about 9 miles (14 km) to the north of Darum.
[16] Gaza's citadel was defended by Miles,[16] who refused to allow the inhabitants of the city to take shelter in it; many were killed or captured by Saladin's army.
[16] After the death of Helena of Milly, Oultrejordain passed to Beatrice, her minor daughter by Walter III Brisebarre.
According to law, which Hamilton presumes to have been set at this time, the regency belonged to the minor king's nearest male relative on his father's side.
The High Court apparently did not decide on this occasion who this was in the case of Baldwin IV, and so the government devolved on Miles in his capacity as seneschal.
[24] William narrates that Miles wished to "lessen the envy of his fellows" and so formally obeyed the castellan of Jerusalem, Rohard of Jaffa, while reserving all power to himself.
[25] Hamilton believes that Miles instead appointed Rohard to be the personal guardian of the young king, "a title which", in the words of William of Tyre, "sounded good but conferred no power".
[26] The Hospitallers had still not financially recovered from Amalric's previous attempt, and Hamilton argues that the master of the Temple, Odo of Saint-Amand, was too similar in character to the haughty seneschal to cooperate well with him.
[30] Miles ruled that Raymond's request would be considered when the High Court convened in full,[30] but sent Balian of Jaffa, brother of the castellan, Rohard, on a secret mission to northern Europe with gifts and letters.
[36] Hamilton presumes that this refers to Walter Brisebarre and his brother Guy, and that they resented Miles because he did not restore Beirut to them after Amalric's death.
[38] Miles's death caused a power vacuum in the kingdom, and the young king had to preside over council meetings until finally Raymond was accepted as regent.
