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Baldwin, M. W. (ed.) / The first hundred years
(1969)
XIII: The Growth of the Latin States, 1118-1144, pp. 410-447
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Page 422
422 A HISTORY OF THE CRUSADES cessfully repulsed the fierce attacks of the besiegers, but the arrival of fresh Frankish forces coupled with the steady dwindling of their provisions at length compelled the defenders to appeal to their lords, Tughtigin of Damascus and the caliph of Egypt, for assistance. Tughtigin's ready compliance with an assisting force proved unavailing, however, for the Franks devised a counterstrategy so effective that Tughtigin decided to withdraw. Meanwhile, the Venetian doge, having investigated and proved false rumors that an Egyptian fleet was about to succor Tyre, redoubled his attacks upon the city. At last relieved of fears that Tughtigin would intervene decisively, the Frankish armies pressed forward with unrelenting assaults against the now frenzied defenders. At length Tughtigin, having vainly appealed to the Egyptian Moslems for aid, made peace overtures to the allies. An agreement for surrender was finally reached, with the proviso that the Tyrians be allowed to remain or depart as they desired with no molestation of their homes and possessions. The victors took possession on July 7, 1124, the terms of surrender were executed, and, in accordance with the treaty, two parts were assigned to the king and one to the Venetians.9 With Baldwin and Galeran once more firmly in his grasp, Belek ceased to fear effective Frankish attack, and hence turned his attention again to the perennial internecine Moslem warfare. Resolving to settle accounts with Uassãn, the governor of Manbij, he entrusted the command of an army corps to his cousin Timurtash in April i 124 with orders to proceed to Manbij and to invite Ilassãn to participate in an attack on Tell Bashir. If Ilassãn agreed, then Timurtash was to seize him. Timurtash accepted the command and entered Manbij, but was met with a formal refusal by ~Isâ, Ilassãn's brother. Timurtash accordingly arrested Uassan and imprisoned him in the fortress of Palu. ~Isâ, in retaliation, wrote to Joscelin and offered to surrender Manbij to him if he would drive away Belek's troops. Fearful that Belek would be a more dangerous neighbor than Uassãn, Joscelin traveled to Jerusalem, Tripoli, and all the other Frankish areas, raised an army, and advanced on Manbij. Shortly thereafter a battle followed with Belek. A complete Frankish defeat ensued and Joscelin himself fled to Tell Bashir on the following day, May 6. Belek thereupon executed all the prisoners taken in the battle and then advanced on ~ As might be expected William of Tyre (XIII, 1—14) gives considerable space to the siege of Tyre and includes a detailed description of the city. The inaction of the Fã~imids stemmed from the murder of the capable vizir al-Afçlal in December i izi.
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