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- French Nobility. King of Jerusalem, Count of Anjou, Touraine and Maine, also known as Fulk V "The Young". He was the only son of Fulk IV "Le Rechin" of Anjou and his fifth wife Bertrade de Montfort, who left her husband to become first mistress and later wife of King Philipp. He succeeded his father in 1109 and continued the war with Maine that his father had started. He invaded it and in 1110 married Eremburge of Maine to strengthen his reign there. From this marriage he was father of Geoffrey, Isabel (wife of William "The Atheling"), Elias II, Count of Maine and Sibylle, (later wife of William Clito of Normandy and Count Thierry of Flanders). He reorganized the administration and signed peace settlements with the counties that surrounded his territory. In 1120 he joined the crusade where he made a name for himself, as being a good warrior. In 1127 he received a message from the king of Jerusalem, Baldwin II, who proposed a marriage between Fulk and Baldwins daughter and heiress, Melisende. He abdicated in Anjou in favor for his son Geoffrey and married Melisende in 1129. Baldwin gave him the cities Acre and Tyre. Melisende gave birth to a son who was named Baldwin and that was supposed to reign with his parents. After the kings death in 1131 they ruled together, but Fulk soon assumed control of the government and excluded her entirely. As he was also regent of Antioch he married the heiress Constance to Raymond of Poitiers, uncle of Eleonore of Aquitaine. The Count of Jaffa, Hugh II, a cousin of Melisende sided with her and rebelled against him. They later signed a peace contract and Hugh was exiled from the kingdom for 3 years. In 1135 the queen's party took over the government and Fulk's supporters fled. The couple reconciled later and she gave birth to a second son, Amalric. Fulk was able to strengthen the borders in the north and south and built several castles to secure the kingdom against the Muslims under Zengi and the Egyptians. He died during a hunting accident, when his horse stumbled, fell and landed on top of him.
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1092 - 1143 (51 years)