Henry I Embriaco


Henry I Embriaco was the Lord of Gibelet from 1241 until his death in 1271. He was a member of the prominent Embriaco family.

Biography

Henry was the son of Guido I Embriaco and Alice of Antioch, herself the daughter of Bohemond III of Antioch.
During the War of Saint Sabas in 1256, Henry aligned with the Republic of Genoa, honoring his family's Genoese roots by sending Genoese troops to Acre. His overlord, Bohemond VI, attempted to remain neutral but leaned toward the Republic of Venice. Tensions between Bohemond VI and the Embriaco family escalated, and by 1261, their feud had erupted into open conflict.
With Genoese support, Henry I effectively asserted his independence from Bohemond VI. His cousin Bertrand Embriaco even launched an attack on Bohemond in Tripoli. This hostility persisted beyond Henry's death in 1271. It was only in 1282 that the conflict was settled, when Bohemond’s son and successor, Bohemond VII, captured Henry's sons Guido II, Giovanni, and Baldovino.

Marriage and issue

In 1250, Henry married Isabelle d'Ibelin, daughter of Balian of Beirut. Together, they had five children:
  1. Baliano
  2. Guido II, succeeded his father as Lord of Gibelet
  3. Giovanni
  4. Baldovino
  5. Maria, who married Balian II Grenier, titular Lord of Sidon