ABSTRACT
Pisa was deeply involved in the Levant in the period extending from the First Crusade to the fall of the Frankish states in 1291. Yet its presence evolved in a rather puzzling way in the twelfth century, especially when compared to those of Genoa and Venice. Despite its strong naval support for the Christian conquest of coastal cities in the Levant from 1099 to 1108, Pisa was granted almost no territorial, fiscal or judicial concessions in them until the 1150s. The chapter discusses the major features of Pisa's relations with the Frankish states and the various factors and processes that impacted upon them. Pisa's attitude regarding assets and privileges in the Frankish states changed after the 1150s. Growing Pisan interest in the Kingdom of Jerusalem was primarily generated by developments in Egypt. Pisa's political position in the Kingdom of Jerusalem was particularly enhanced in the years 1187–1191.
