Background
He was the younger son of Walter I Grenier and his wife, Julianne. Unlike his father, Hugh had a close relationship with the Kings of Jerusalem, but like his father he was a patron of the Order of the Hospital.
He was the younger son of Walter I Grenier and his wife, Julianne. Unlike his father, Hugh had a close relationship with the Kings of Jerusalem, but like his father he was a patron of the Order of the Hospital.
The date of Walter I"s death and Hugh"s accession is unknown. Walter was still alive and ruling in 1149, and Hugh"s lordship is first attested by a royal charter of 1154. Hugh was a regular attendant at the royal court under Baldwin III (1143-1163), Melisende (regent, 1153-1161) and Amalric I (1163-1174): he signed as a witness to nine acts of each of the two kings and one of Melisende"son
Hugh also witnessed several aristocratic charters: one of Amalric"s from 1155, while Amalric was still just Count of Jaffa.
Another of Hugh of Ibelin from the same year. And one of Walter of Saint-Omer, Prince of Galilee, from 1168.
Hugh participated in two royal expeditions: the siege of Blahasent, near Sidon, and Amalric"s invasion of Egypt. According to William of Tyre, he was "a young man of admirable wisdom and discretion far beyond his years" when Amalric sent him to negotiate with the Egyptians in 1167.
At the court of the Fatimid caliph, al-"Āḍid, Hugh demanded to shake the caliph"s ungloved hand to ratify the treaty signed by the two, a demand which, though met, shocked the caliph"s courtiers.
William of Tyre"s description of the caliphal palace in Cairo is based on the description he received from Hugh. In the war against Nur ad-Din, Hugh was captured at the Battle of al-Babein (Lamonia) by the forces of Saladin after his men abandoned him. When Nur ad-Din sued for peace, his general, Shirkuh, requested that Hugh, whom he called "a great prince of high rank and much influence among your own people", act as an intermediary, but the latter refused—"lest it might seem that he was more interested in obtaining his own liberty than concerned for the public welfare".
Only after a treaty was drafted was Hugh freed to "put the final touches to it".
In 1154, Hugh granted a piece of land at Chaco to the Hospitallers. Hugh married Isabelle, daughter of John Goman, and she appears with him in five of his charters.
In 1161, Hugh approved a sale made by his father-in-law.