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Ch.XVII THE KINGDOM OF CYPRUS, 1191—1291 605 
wrote John of Ibelin in the Livre des Lissises, "he governed both well and
wisely until his death." 16 
 Aimery's heir for the crown of Cyprus was his ten-year-old son by Eschiva,
Hugh I (1205—12 1 8). In violation of the rule that the regent to administer
the kingdom should be the nearest relative on the side through which the
throne escheated, and that the guardian of the minor king should be the nearest
relative on the other side, the high court of Nicosia appointed Walter of
Montbéliard, constable of Jerusalem and husband of Hugh's elder sister
Bur— gundia, to both positions.17 In 1208, when Hugh attained the marriageable
age of fourteen, Walter negotiated the marriage of the young king with Alice,
daughter of Henry of Champagne and Isabel of Jerusalem. Hugh's first act
upon reaching his majority in 1210 was to demand from Walter an accounting
of his adminis tration. Breaking his promise to the high court to render
an account, Walter decamped with his family and valuables to Acre, where
he was welcomed by his cousin, John of Brienne, king of Jerusalem. Until
his death, probably in 1212, Walter stirred up trouble for Hugh in his relations
with the church. Hugh's short reign was brought to a close by his death in
Tripoli on January 1 0, 1218, while on the Fifth Crusade. He "was very ready
to undertake anything which concerned him and might turn to his honour. He
was very fond of the company of knights and all kinds of men of arms. He
was irascible and violent, but his anger soon passed." 18 He left an heir,
Henry I, about eight months old. 
 The barons of Cyprus entrusted the guardianship of the infant king to his
mother Alice, and also recognized her as regent "but as the mother and not
as any possible heir to the throne." 19 Fearing her inexperience, they associated
with her as administrative bailie first her uncle, Philip of Ibelin (12 18—1227),
and then his brother John, the "old lord" of Beirut (1227—1228). Alice
kept the guard ianship and the whole of the royal revenues, but when difficulties
arose between her and the Ibelins she finally left for Syria, probably in
1223.20 Though John was forced to turn the king over to the emperor Frederick
and his bailies in 1228, the Ibelins worked 
 16 Livre de Jean d'Ibelin, 273 (RHC, Lois, I), p. 430. 
 17 See J. L. LaMonte, Feudal Monarchy in the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem
(Cambridge, Mass., 1932), p. 52 and note I. 
 18 Eracles (RHC, 0cc., II), p. 360, quoted in Hill, History of Cyprus, II,
83, where he corrects the translation of Mas Latrie, Histoire de l'Ile de
Chypre, I, 182. 
 19 LaMonte, Feudal Monarchy, p. 52, note a. The documents call Alice simply
"queen of Cyprus" and call the Ibelins "bailie". 
 20 See Hill, History of Cyprus, II, 88, note 3, for the disputed date of
Alice's break with her uncles.