Ibelin was a castle in the
crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem in the 12th century (at modern
Yavne,
31°49'12?N 34°42'47?E? / ?31.820°N 34.713°E? / 31.820; 34.713), which gave its name to an important family of nobles.
The site of Ibelin had been occupied since ancient times; the Romans called it Iamnia. The crusader castle was built in 1141 between Jaffa and Ascalon, near Montgisard and Ramla. At that time Ascalon was still controlled by Fatimid Egypt, and Egyptian armies marched out every year from Ascalon to attack the crusader kingdom. Ibelin was constructed in order to contain these attacks to a smaller area. The original castle, built by King Fulk of Jerusalem, had four towers.
The Ibelin family rose from relatively humble origins to become one of the most important noble families in the Crusader states of Jerusalem and Cyprus. The family claimed to be descended from the Le Puiset viscounts of Chartres, but this appears to be a later fabrication. They were more probably from Pisa Italy, the name 'Barisan' being found in Tuscany and Liguria related to Azzopardi family. Its first known member Barisan was apparently a knight in service of the Count of Jaffa and in the 1110s became constable of Jaffa. As reward for his capable and loyal service, around 1122 he married Helvis, heiress of the nearby lordship of Ramla.
Barisan was given the castle of Ibelin in 1141 by King Fulk as a reward for his loyalty during the revolt of his then master Hugh II of Le Puiset, Count of Jaffa, in 1134. Ibelin was part of County of Jaffa, which was annexed to the royal domain after Hugh's unsuccessful revolt. Barisan's marriage with Helvis produced Hugh, Baldwin, Barisan, Ermengarde, and Stephanie. The younger Barisan came to be known as Balian. Along with Ibelin, the family then held Ramla (inherited from Helvis), and the youngest son Balian received the lordship of Nablus when he married Maria Comnena, the Dowager Queen. Balian was the last to hold these territories as they all fell to Saladin in 1187.
