Balian of Ibelin (died 1193) was an important noble of the crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem in the 12th century. He was the son of Barisan of Ibelin and brother of Hugh and Baldwin. His original name was also Barisan, but the pronunciation of the name changed to "Balian" in the course of the 12th century; he is sometimes known as Balian the Younger when his father is also referred to as Balian. He is also called Balian of Ramla or Balian of Nablus.
After the death of Hugh in 1150, the castle of Ibelin passed to Baldwin, who then gave it to Balian, preferring to remain lord of Ramla. Balian and Baldwin supported Raymond III of Tripoli over Miles of Plancy as regent for Baldwin IV in 1174, and in 1177 the brothers were present at the Battle of Montgisard. That year he also married Maria Comnena, widow of King Amalric I, and received the lordship of Nablus.
In 1183 Balian and his brother supported Raymond against Guy of Lusignan, husband of Sibylla of Jerusalem and by now regent for the ailing Baldwin IV. Balian was present at the coronation ceremony of Baldwin V in 1183, while Baldwin IV was still alive; this was an attempt to prevent Guy from succeeding as king. Baldwin V became king while still a child in 1185, but when the young king died in 1186, Raymond’s choice for the kingship, Humphrey IV of Toron, refused the crown and joined Guy. Balian reluctantly paid homage to Guy, while his brother refused to do so and exiled himself to Antioch.
Balian remained in the kingdom and escaped the defeat at the Battle of Hattin in 1187. He helped negotiate the defense of Jerusalem and its subsequent surrender to Saladin in October. Ibelin, Nablus, and Ramla and all of Balian's other territories were captured by Saladin after Hattin, but Balian and his family were permitted to flee to Tripoli. He at first supported Guy in the struggle for the kingship against Conrad of Montferrat, but then conspired with Maria to have Conrad marry Isabella of Jerusalem, Maria's daughter from her marriage to Amalric, giving Conrad a stronger claim to the kingdom. After Conrad's death and Isabella's remarriage to Henry II of Champagne, Balian remained one of Henry's advisors, and in 1192 he helped negotiate the treaty between Richard I of England and Saladin, ending the Third Crusade. Ibelin remained under Saladin's control but Richard gave Balian a new lordship at Caymont instead.
He died in 1193. His son John of Ibelin was Lord of Beirut and constable of Jerusalem.
A scribe of Balian named Ernoul wrote an Old French continuation of the chronicle of William of Tyre.
A heavily fictionalized version of Balian is the main character of the 2005 movie Kingdom of Heaven, played by Orlando Bloom.
Balian became a common name in the Ibelin family in the 13th century. Balian, lord of Beirut, son of John and grandson of the above Balian, succeeded his father as lord of Beirut in 1236. Balian of Beirut's brother, also named John, had a son named Balian; this Balian was lord of Arsuf and married Plaisance of Antioch.
