After the battle on the mountain beyond Laodikeia, he burst into a lament on the loss of the glorious reputation of French arms, claiming that the French were now a mockery to those who used to fear them; he asked Jesus why he allowed a pious race to be defeated by the godless
William of Tyre bk. 16, 25.53-62
Complains of major problem of his archbishopric: its bishops fell subject to Jerusalem and Tripoli (hence to Antioch) before metropolis was freed; then the long delay before first archbishop was appointed allowed alienation of property
. William of Tyre bk. 14, 14.1-64
Distracted from his historical work by duties as Archbishop of Tyre and Chancellor of Kingdom of Jerusalem, and others
si quis ad nostras occupationes respiciat, quarum multiplicitate fatigamur plurimum .... William of Tyre prol. 106-118
Fully investigated why the patriarch held a quarter of Jerusalem; discovered that it resulted from a grant given in 1063 by Konstantinos 9 to repair part of the city, on condition it was inhabited only by Christians under patriarchal rule
Constantinus, qui cognominatus est Monomachus ... anno ... millesimo sexagesimo tercio. William of Tyre bk. 9, 16.19-18.46
Had no written Greek or Arabic sources (in contrast with his other book), but used traditions, apart from some events of which he was an eye-witness
in hac vero nullam Graecam aut Arabicam habentes preducem scripturam, solis traditionibus instructi,exceptis paucis que ipsi oculata fide conspeximus. William of Tyre prol. 89-91
Has divided his Chronicle into 23 books with separate named chapters, in the interests of clarity
Distinximus autem volumen universum in libros viginti tres eorumque singulos certis designavimus capitulis .... William of Tyre prol. 118-125
In describing the dignitaries present at the assembly of Palmarea, near Acre, he admits that all the lists are incomplete, the German list because he cannot remember the names; the French list is somewhat shortened, the Jerusalem list very much shortened, because complete listing would take too long
William of Tyre bk. 17, 1.1-56
The accession of Baldwin 53 marked a perceptible change in the narrative of his history; up to that point he was collecting his material from others and retelling it as well as he could; afterwards he wrote increasingly as an eyewitness or from the testimony of eyewitnesses
... nos ipsi fide conspeximus occulata. William of Tyre bk. 16, Praefaciuncula, 7-8
Was also told to write by King Amalric of Jerusalem
Accessit praeterea domini Amalrici regis ... iussio. William of Tyre prol. 80-82
Was provided with Arabic texts by King Amalric of Jerusalem, especially necessary for another work, a history from Mohammed to 1184
ipso Arabica exemplaria ministrante aliam historiam a tempore seductoris Mahumet usque in hunc annum, qui est nobis ab incarnatione domini MCLXXIIII. William of Tyre prol. 84-86