Countess Plaisance was an independently wealthy Lebanese Countess who inherited lands across Lebanon and Israel from her parents.

She is my 20 x great-grandmother.

She is the daughter of Hugh “The limp” Embraico, Lord of Jebail, and Stephanie de Milly1 2. It is likely she was born in the Jebail province, the capital of which is Byblos. Her date of birth is not documented, but likely to be around the 1170s.

Titles

Plaisance is listed as a Countess of Tripolitana in a charter dated 15 Jun 11991. She held this title because her husband, Bohemond, was the Count of Tripoli.

She must have had some more titles from her marriage to a Lord and a Prince, but there is no record of this.

A photo of the port of Byblos - Lebanon
The port of Byblos today – Lebanon

Family

Plaisance first married an unnamed Lord of Boutron, who died before they had any children2.

Plaisance married Prince Bohemond IV of Antioch sometime before 21 August 1198, when they were first mentioned as husband and wife1 2. Together they had 4 sons and 2 daughters1 3:

  • Raymond; murdered at the age of 18 by the Knights’ Hospitallier.
  • Bohemond, who succeeded his father as Prince Bohemond V of Antioch.
  • Philip, who ruled over the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia.
  • Orgueilleuse
  • Marie, who married Thoros of Armenia.
  • Henry, whose son inherited the crown of Cyprus in 1267.
The coat of arms of the House of Poitiers
The coat of arms of the House of Poitiers

Notable events

Plaisance and Bohemond donated land to the Knights’ Hospitallier by charter in 15 Jun 11991. It is not clear which plot of land this donation refers to.

Her mother left Plaisance with the towns of Mergelcolon – modern-day Majd al-Krum, Israel – and Gedin2.

Death

She died in 12172.

Lineage

This person is my 20 x great-grandmother.

  1. Antioch; Medieval Lands; Charles Crawley; 2020-10-11[][][][][]
  2. Tripoli; Medieval Lands; Charles Crawley; 2020-09-23[][][][][]
  3. Medieval Lands; Charles Crawley; (Retrieved 2018-04-25) []