Alice of Jerusalem (c. 1106–?)

Princess and regent of Antioch. Name variations: Alais or Alix. Reigned (1135–36); born c. 1106 in the Frankish principality of Jerusalem; died after 1162 in Antioch; 2nd dau. of Baldwin II, count of Edessa, later king of Jerusalem (r. 1118–1131), and Morphia of Melitene (fl. 1085–1120); sister of Hodierna of Jerusalem (c. 1115–after 1162), Melisande (1105–1161), and Joveta of Jerusalem; m. Bohemond or Bohemund II, prince of Antioch (r. 1126–1130), in 1126; children: Constance of Antioch (1128–1164), co-ruler of Antioch (r. 1130–1163).

Intelligent and well-educated, married Bohemund II, newly crowned prince of Antioch (1126); when Bohemund was killed in battle (1130), assumed the regency for daughter Constance rather than wait for her father Baldwin II, overlord of Antioch, to appoint one; lost support of the Antiochenes, who wanted a strong, adult male warrior-prince to protect Antioch from its enemies; in a move to retain her authority, sent a messenger to Muslim atabeg (prince) Zengi, offering to pay him homage if he would help her retain Antioch, but her father's troops captured the messenger and had him hanged for treason; though forgiven by father for her rebellion, was removed from the regency and banished to Lattakieh, her dower lands; on Baldwin II's death, when her sister Melisande's husband Fulk V of Anjou succeeded to throne of Jerusalem, unsuccessfully challenged his right to rule as overlord of Antioch, resulting in his loss of power to the city's Patriarch Bernard; when Bernard died (1135) and the populace of Antioch elected Radulph of Domfront to succeed him, appealed to her sister Melisande to help regain power; was allowed to return to Antioch, where she shared the rule with Radulph, until he fell from power a short time later; ruling alone but without a solid base of support, sought a means of securing her position and that of her daughter; offered Constance's hand to the son of the Byzantine emperor Manuel Comnenus, causing even more turmoil and loss of support, though many Antiochenes recognized, too late, the wisdom of her pro-Byzantine policies; retired to her estates once again, where she spent the remainder of her life.

See also Women in World History.