Baldwin IV was born in 1161 to King Amalric I of Jerusalem and Agnes of Courtenay. The Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem was precarious—surrounded by powerful Muslim states and divided by rival barons, churchmen, and foreign knights. His tutor William of Tyre noted the first sign of illness during childhood games: Baldwin felt no pain when hurt. That loss of sensation was eventually recognized as leprosy. Unlike typical tales of isolation, Baldwin’s life did not end there. When Amalric died in 1174,