Page 485

Ch. XIII CRUSADE OF THEOBALD OF CHAMPAGNE 485 
confusion by listening to the Templars and renewing the alliance with Damascus
against Egypt. While Richard's vanity moved him to attempt to minimize Theobald's
accomplishment, he did not try to undo his work in the hope of achieving
glory for himself. Theo bald's truce with Egypt was a great victory for the
Christian cause, and Richard had the good sense to satisfy himself with consolidating
the gains made by it. In short, Richard of Cornwall deserves some credit
for what he did but far more for the mistakes he did not make. 
 The kingdom of Jerusalem had been strengthened by the addi tion of lands
and castles. The truce would give the Christians time to fortify the places
that had been recovered. This had been done at a considerable cost in money
and men. The crusade also supplied the kingdom of Jerusalem with a future
very feeble bailie, Ralph of Nesle, husband of Alice of Cyprus, and one of
its most effective barons, Philip of Montfort. But all the results both major
and minor were produced by fate — or in the words of Armand of Périgord,
by God's will. The crusaders themselves had had little to do with their own
accomplishments.