Page 394

394 A HISTORY OF THE CRUSADES I 31 of Edessa, pp.8 5—86; Ibn-al-Athir,
pp. 257—263; Michael the Syrian, Chronique(ed. J. B. Chabot, 4 vols.,
Paris, 1899—1910), III, II, 195. 
with Tancred holding his own. Shortly afterwards Tancred and Le Bourg were
reconciled, largely through ecclesiastical interven tion according to Ibn-al-Athir.
Edessa was then restored to count Baldwin, September 18, 1108. 31 Thus Tancred,
earlier in the year at the pinnacle of power, not only lost the suzerainty
of Edessa but embittered its rightful lord, Baldwin of Le Bourg. 
 Then began a strange double civil war between Tancred and Ridvan of Aleppo
on one side and Le Bourg and Chavli on the other. Chavil, who had left the
defense of Mosul in the hands of his wife, appeared in the district of Rahba,
east of Aleppo, in order to recruit allies. His capture of the stronghold
of Bãljs alarmed Ridvan, lord of Aleppo. Ridvan called upon Tancred,
with whom he apparently had had a truce since 1105, for aid. He pictured
the plight of the Franks in Syria if Chavli should seize Aleppo. Tancred
came, perhaps moved in part by resentment against Chavil for freeing Baldwin
of Le Bourg. Chavli now became alarmed. He called upon Le Bourg and Joscelin
for help. They responded, bitter against Tancred. In the battle which ensued
Tancred scattered his enemies near Tell Bashir in the early fall of 1 108.
He besieged Le Bourg in Duluk for a short while, but was driven off by threatening
moves made by Chavli. 
 Thus ended the civil war of 1 io8. The Franks might have des troyed the
power of the Turks in the region around Edessa while the latter were fighting
among themselves. They could even have had the help of one of the Turkish
factions. Such an opportunity was not to come again soon, for Maudüd,
a very able man, estab lished himself in Mosul in September and the renegade
Chavil. succeeded in making his peace with the sultan Muhammad. On the other
hand the Turks had lost an opportunity. If they had been united, they could
have attacked the Franks when the latter were divided. The whole episode
is illuminating because it shows how quickly the Frankish and Moslem princes
could forget rivalries and become allies when private diplomatic and military
considera tions so warranted. 
 The capture of the city of Tripoli by the Franks, one of the key events
of the period, occurred during the next year, 1109. This be came the capital
of the Latin county of the same name. The origin of this state is intimately
connected with the name of Raymond of St. Gilles, count of Toulouse. Raymond,
it will be recalled, had, come out on the First Crusade having sworn to devote
his life to