He invaded, sacking and plundering as he advanced north, leaving well-defended positions like the Templar castle at Gaza untouched until he came to Ascalon. Ascalon had been in Egyptian hands until 1153 and was considered a key strategic position for the defense of Egypt — or the attack on Jerusalem. Saladin prepared to besiege the city. According to one contemporary chronicler (Ernoul), Sibylla was seduced by Guy (and she would not have been the first princess in Outremer to be seduced by a young adventurer!), and Baldwin first threatened to hang Guy for “debauching” a princess, but then gave in to his sister and mother’s pleadings to let his sister marry “the man she loved.” Other sources (William of Tyre) suggest that Baldwin feared the Count of Tripoli was planning to depose him by arranging a marriage between Sibylla and Baldwin d’Ibelin, the Baron of Ramla and Mirabel
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