Baldwin IV

It was discovered that Baldwin IV had leprosy, when his teacher noticed that when he and the other boys were playing and pinching each other, he felt nothing. Where he got it from it doesn't say, but it is assumed it was passed by some servant or person working around him. The leprosy did not set in for several years and as a young man he won his first battle against the Muslims.

Leprosy attacks the hands and toes, therefore in the beginning, he had to learn to ride a horse by using his knees rather than his reins. Even though he had leprosy, he still fought in battles, however he was at risk of when being knocked off his horse, he would not be able to get back on again.

In my research I have no come across anything that says he wore a mask, and the only picture I have seen is a medieval drawing, showing a normal man in bed with fair hair.

His sister Sibylla had trouble finding a husband because she was thin, an unattractive trait at that time. However she begged Baldwin to allow her to marry Guy because he was good looking. It was a mistake for Baldwin because Guy was feckless.

Baldwin died of his illness before he saw what was to become of them.