67
He gives to each of them a poniard of terrible length and sharpness. From their devoted obedience, they never hesitate to set out as they are commanded; nor do they pause until they have reached the prince, or tyrant, who has been pointed out to them; and they remain in his service until they find a favourable opportunity for accomplishing their purpose, believing that by so doing they shall gain the favour of heaven …
A troubadour’s description of how the Assassin Grand Master would prepare his fidai for their deadly work. From the Carmen Ambrosii.
Conrad was very much the first man in Palestine. He had married Isabella, the daughter of Amalric, probably against her will, and this essentially made him co-regent of Jerusalem with baronial support, though Guy of Lusignan refused to abdicate. He had the support of Philip of France, but Richard the Lionheart backed Guy, and after Philip’s departure Richard attempted the role of kingmaker. He failed during an assembly in April 1192, as the barons who attended the meeting unanimously voted for Conrad. Richard seemed to accept the decision, and compensated Guy with Cyprus, but he certainly kept his hopes for a friend on the throne of Jerusalem alive through the person of his nephew, Henry of Champagne.
As we have seen, al-Adil and Richard had negotiated frequently, and Saladin had extensive contacts with the Assassin Grand Master, Sinan. Furthermore, Conrad had made proposals to Saladin for a coalition against Richard, and 700 of Richard’s knights had deserted him for service under Conrad during the retreat from Jerusalem to Jaffa. Richard still threatened both Jerusalem and Egypt. His departure from the Holy Land could perhaps be speeded along if Conrad could be removed.
Isabella has obtained a reputation for enjoying her baths too much and for lingering in the tub. In fairness to the lady bathing was a virtual art in the Middle East completed by fine Aleppan soaps made of natural olive oil boiled in vats with water, lye and laurel oil and allowed to cool and dry for up to nine months. On the night of his killing Conrad had tired of waiting for his wife’s ablutions to end and had gone out alone. Of course, it is de rigueur for the medieval monks who were the recorders of such events to blame a woman, but the fact remains that whilst Conrad was murdered by Sinan’s men, Isabella was one of any number of likely accessories to the fact.
Saladin probably commissioned Sinan to have Conrad killed. Given the near exhaustion of Saladin’s resistance to Richard, he needed it done quickly. The marquis had also offended Sinan by seizing a cargo ship belonging to the Assassins and had added further insult by drowning its crew.
Suspicion also falls on Henry of Champagne. He had a long relationship with Sinan and had even witnessed two fidai’in showing their dedication to their master by leaping from one of Masyaf ’s battlements to their deaths. Henry married Conrad’s widow within a week of the killing and was acclaimed King of Jerusalem in May 1192. The Templars and Hospitallers also had a vested interest in Conrad’s demise. They favoured Guy re-ascending the throne. He had proved himself a weak king, whilst Conrad came from a powerful Crusading ‘dynasty’. Conrad’s brother was a Palestinian Baron and his nephew, Boniface, would be a leading participant in the Fourth Crusade. Beyond that the Genoese favoured Conrad, whilst their deadly rivals, the Pisans, favoured Guy.
French writers state how, when tortured, a surviving Assassin claimed that he had acted on behalf of Richard. English versions of the murder have Conrad dying in the arms of his faithful wife, who presumably had by now finished her bath.