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.