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Sibylla was born the eldest daughter of King Amalric I of Jerusalem to Agnes of Courtenay, his first wife. After the divorce of her mother, Sibylla was raised in the convent of St Lazarus by her great-aunt, the abbess Ioveta of Bethany, sister of the former Queen Melisende of Jerusalem. Ioveta was a formidable figure, and instated into Sibylla the scripture and traditions of the church. From the beginning of her life, Sibylla was a valuable asset to her family; with her brother, Baldwin IV, Amalric�??s only son, suffering from illness, her marriage became a paramount concern to the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
At the age of sixteen she was betrothed to William of Montferrat, eldest son of the Marquess William V of Montferrat, and a cousin of Louis VII of France and of Frederick Barbarossa. The same year she was created Countess of Jaffa and Ascalon, the title increasingly associated with the heir to the throne. In autumn Sibylla and William married. However, William was dead by June the next year, leaving Sibylla pregnant. The widowed princess remained a prize for ambitious nobles and adventurers seeking to advance themselves and take control of Jerusalem.
Sibylla did not remarry until 1180. At Easter, Raymond of Tripoli entered the kingdom in force, with the intent of imposing a husband of his own choice, Baldwin of Ibelin, on Sibylla. It was her mother, Agnes of Courtenay, who advised King Baldwin to have his sister married to Guy de Lusignan, a younger man than Baldwin of Ibelin. King Baldwin was more than happy with this match, since Guy had important links with the European royalty, bringing the possibility of military aid. Baldwin of Ibelin was present at Sibylla's marriage to Guy de Lusignan. Now, three years later, situations have escalated in Jerusalem, and in this dangerous land, Sibylla is the ailing Leper King Baldwin's Heir Presumptive.
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