King Baldwin II died on 21 August 1131. Walter attended the
coronation of Baldwin's successor,
King Fulk, on 14 September. By this time he had a wife, Juliana, and a considerable retinue of vassals and household officers. His twin, Eustace II, had died, and Walter called himself lord of Caesarea and Sidon. He soon dropped Sidon from his title, and Mayer asserts, based on the lack of Sidon landholders' interaction with Walter, that Walter never held it. The regime of Walter's stepfather, Hugh, continued in Sidon. Walter's mother, Emma, apparently could do nothing to help Walter gain Sidon. Walter's grievance with his stepfather, Hugh, was such that in 1134, he stood up in the royal court and accused Hugh of
lèse-majesté and conspiring to kill King Fulk. Fulk himself had instigated Walter to make this accusation; the king needed a reason to revoke the fiefs of the vassal who had grown too powerful, and Walter desired Sidon, the Grenier patrimony governed by Hugh. Hugh then revolted against Fulk, lost his fiefs, and was exiled. Jericho, which belonged to Walter's mother, was also confiscated. Walter never profited, however, as the royal family retained these lands. Having no other choice, Walter remained loyal to Fulk, who had outwitted him. He never became the king's friend either, nor was he close to Fulk's son
King Baldwin III; he only witnessed one charter of each king. In his last years he had significant financial problems and incurred debts for which both he and his vassals had to serve time. He took no part in the affairs of the kingdom after 1147. He was still alive in 1149 but by 1154, he had been succeeded by his son,
Hugh. Another son, Eustace, joined the
lepers of the
Order of Saint Lazarus. ==References==