Joscelin III of Edessa

Joscelin III or Joscelyn III (French: Jocelyn or Josselin; c. 1134 –c. 1191/1199), also called Joscelin of Courtenay, was titular count of Edessa from 1150 or 1159 and a baron of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. The county collapsed during Joscelin's adolescence, and after his father's capture in 1150, he was forced to rebuild his influence elsewhere. Joscelin rebuilt his influence over the next 14 years, receiving some offices and acquiring a martial reputation with the help of his sister Agnes, the wife of Amalric of Jerusalem until 1161. By 1164, he was one of the Christian leaders at the Battle of Harim, but was captured in the disastrous battle and held for the next 12 years.

Joscelin was one of the last high-ranking captives to be released in 1176, alongside Reynald of Châtillon. By then, he was landless, and the two travelled to Jerusalem, which was ruled by his nephew, Baldwin IV. Baldwin made his uncle seneschal by September, and Joscelin married Agnes of Milly. Her dowry was the basis for his lordship, which Joscelin would grow over the next decade into a great seigneury. By 1177, the nobility had split over the marriage of Baldwin's sister, Sibylla, to Guy of Lusignan. Joscelin and Agnes, Sibylla's mother, supported Guy and dominated the kingdom's politics. Guy fell out with the king in 1183 and was replaced as regent by his opponent Raymond of Tripoli in early 1185, with Baldwin dying in March. Sibylla's son Baldwin V became king, and Joscelin was assigned to care for the boy.

Upon Baldwin V's death, Joscelin brought Sibylla to the throne through a coup, angering Raymond of Tripoli and his supporters, but Sibylla unexpectedly raised Guy as her husband. The brewing crisis was cut short when Reynald of Châtillon attacked an Ayyubid merchant convoy in 1186 or early 1187, causing renewed war with Saladin. The subsequent campaign resulted in a crushing defeat at the Battle of Hattin, where Joscelin commanded the rearguard. It is unclear if he was captured here, but he was free shortly afterwards. The seneschal surrendered Acre and his holdings were overrun, but he participated in the sieges of Tyre and Acre. He could have died in the latter engagement, or alternatively lived until around 1200, losing influence. Joscelin has been criticised for his intense greed and support of Guy of Lusignan, often considered incompetent. However, he is considered a competent administrator, and has more recently been characterised as a sober statesman.