volume one

286 HISTORY OF THE CEUSADES.
enins: the aathoritv of the kiDc:, -were likely to lead to tlie
ruin of the kingdom.
"Wliilst the patriarch was unceasingly making complaints
against Baldwin, the king seldom made anv other reply than
gaining new Adctories over the infidels ; nothing being able
to divert him from his pui'pose of ever}' day aggrandizing
his dominions. The prosperity and the safety of Jerusalem
appeared closely connected with the conquest of the maritime
cities of S\'ria and Palestine ; it beins: bv them alone
that it could receive succour, or establish prompt and easy
communications with the ^^est. The maritime nations of
Europe were interested in seconding, in this instance, the
enterprises of the king of Jerusalem. The navigation of
the Mediterranean, and the transporting of pilgrims to the
Holv Land, were to them an inexhaustible source of riches ;
the ports of Syria would offer to them a commodious asylum
for their vessels, and a safe entrepot for their commerce.
From the period of the first crusades the Pisans and the
Grenoese had constantly sent vessels to the seas of the East
and their fleets had aided the Christians in several expedi-
tions against the Mussulmans, A Genoese fleet had just
arrived in the seas of Syria when Baldwin undertook the
siege of Ptolemais. The Genoese were invited to assist in this
conquest ; but as religion was not the principle to bring them
into action, they required, in return for their assistance and
theii' labour, that they should have a third of the booty
they likewise stipulated to have a separate church for themselves,
and a national factory and tribunal in the conquered
city. Ptolemais was besieged bv land and sea, and after a
bloodv resistance of twentv davs, the inhabitants and the
garrison proposed to surrender, and nnplored the clemency
of the conquerors. The city opened its gates to the Christians,
and the inhabitants prepared to depart, taking with
them whatever they deemed most valuable ; but the Genoese,
at the sight of such a rich booty, paid no respect to the capitulation,
and massacred without pity a disarmed and defenceless
people. This barbarous conduct, which Baldwin could
neither repress nor pimish, excited the Mussulmans more
than ever against the Christians.
At each fresh conquest of Baldwin's, a new army' came
from the banks of the Nile to impede the course of his victories
*, but the Eg^-ptians had for a long time been accus-
;