Certainty: 2 Frankish siege of Damascus: betrayal & retreat
In the opinion of William of Tyre, the leaders of the besiegers of Damascus were betrayed when they were on the point of success. The traitors said that the far side of the city was easier to capture than the point which they had attacked; the armies were moved there, but soon realised there was no food or water, while the wall was not much weaker. Food soon failed in the new camp, as the besiegers had brought little with them, hoping to live off the orchards. But they could not return to the orchards, as the citizens barricaded the paths with beams and rocks, making the defences much stronger than before. All realised the treachery and decided to retreat. William believed that all the leaders from the west thereafter looked at every plan made by local Palestinian Franks as potentially treacherous and lost interest in helping the kingdom; pilgrims in the future were, as a result, fewer and less fervent. William inquired carefully about the identity of the traitors, and could come to no conclusions: he mentions three rumours. By the first, Thierry of Flanders had secured the agreement of all the leaders to give him the lordship of Damascus when it was captured, infuriating some local barons into acting treacherously. By the second, Raymond of Antioch influenced the traitors, as he still pursued his quarrel with Louis VII. By the third, it was simple bribery, but the recipients later discovered that the enormous bribe was in worthless counterfeit money. William hoped that the guilty would receive their just deserts. [It is worth saying that treachery would be more acceptable as an explanation to William than, say, the weakening of the crusaders by their losses in Anatolia, their incompetence in siege warfare, or the increasing power of the Muslims.]
Certainty: 2 Final attempts to find a role for the crusaders were unsuccessful; departure of Conrad III Certainty: 2
1149
Certainty: 2 Reactions to the death of Raymond of Antioch Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Baldwin III & the barons of his kingdom fortified Gaza Certainty: 2
1150
Certainty: 2 Reactions to the disappearance of Joscelin II of Edessa Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Negotiations to save the remains of the county of Edessa Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Baldwin III's march to save Christians from Tell Bashir (1): as far as 'Ayn Tab Certainty: 2
Certainty: 3 Baldwin III's march to save Christians from Tell Bashir (2): beyond 'Ayn Tab Certainty: 3
1152
Certainty: 3 Baldwin III was crowned on Easter Day without his mother's knowledge Certainty: 3
Andronikos (I) from Cilicia treacherously won over Baldwin III & Mas'ud of IkonionCertainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Civil war in Jerusalem halted by a compromise from Melisende Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Unsuccessful pressure on princess Constance of Antioch to choose a prince Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Failed attempt to heal the marriage of Raymond II: his assassination Certainty: 2
1153
Certainty: 3 Baldwin III raided Askalon, then decided to besiege it: the list of attackers Certainty: 3
Certainty: 2 Siege of Askalon: the first five months Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Constance, princess of Antioch, married Reynaud of Chatillon Certainty: 2
Certainty: 3 Siege of Askalon: varying fortunes of war Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3 Siege of Askalon: the citizens decided to capitulate Certainty: 3
1154
Certainty: 2 Usama's family captured & robbed while passing Acre Certainty: 2
1159
Manuel received Baldwin III of Jerusalem coolly, then let him intercede for the Antiochenes & TorosCertainty: 2
Manuel insisted on triumphal entry to Antioch, supported by Latins, & stayed in the palace for 8 daysCertainty: 3
Baldwin suffered a broken arm following Manuel in the hunt, then was impressed by his medical skillCertainty: 2
1160
Manuel mobilised fully against Kilic Arslan, summoning all those who had sworn military helpCertainty: 2