ABSTRACT
Patriotism was the more intense because William, unlike most crusaders, had actually been born in the kingdom, Jerusalem being his native city. William of Tyre, though he wrote in a very dispassionate manner, was undoubtedly a party man. It is an interesting fact that though western chroniclers were almost unanimous in their condemnation of the pullani, they never seem to have identified William of Tyre as being one of them – and this in spite of the fact that they knew his Overseas History well. William never states in so many words what that strategy was, but it is not difficult to divine. Since the Muslims gained strength as they became united, the Christians had to ensure that they were kept disunited; and since the Christians were few and the Muslims many, it was in the interest of the Christians to maintain a balance of power by allying with one Muslim against another.
