WI: Crusader-Fatimid alliance

Before the Fatimids took Jerusalem, and even for a short time afterwards, the Fatimid Caliphate was in negotiations with the Crusaders to form a alliance that would give the Crusaders northern Syria and the Fatimid caliphate Jerusalem. The Fatimid Caliphate seized Jerusalem during the course of the negotiations and offered the Crusaders safe pilgrimage if they only came in small numbers. With the Fatimid seizing of Jerusalem an alliance became all bu impossible. What if the Fatimid Caliphate hadn't taken advantage of a period of weakness in the Turkish controllers of Jerusalem or what if the Turks had managed to fend off the Fatimids and the Crusader Fatimid alliance had born fruit?
 
I really doubt the crusaders would settle for Muslim rule of Jerusalem, I can maybe see them accepting being a Byzantine vassal but they really saw Jerusalem as their ultimate goal and giving it up for a consolation prize in Syria seems like something they're never going to agree to unless they're forced.
 
I really doubt the crusaders would settle for Muslim rule of Jerusalem, I can maybe see them accepting being a Byzantine vassal but they really saw Jerusalem as their ultimate goal and giving it up for a consolation prize in Syria seems like something they're never going to agree to unless they're forced.

And given their utter lack of understanding of local politics, I doubt they'd care that the Fatamids and Seljuks are enemies - they'd just as happily carve out lands from one as the other.
 

karikon

Banned
The first crusade lacked central leadership, this makes any negotiation difficult. Not all of the crusader were zealots but some of them were, meaning that giving up on there holy goal is breaking there oath to god and what not.
 
And given their utter lack of understanding of local politics, I doubt they'd care that the Fatamids and Seljuks are enemies - they'd just as happily carve out lands from one as the other.

They understood enough to send a delegation to Cairo in 1097 to negotiate terms of a possible alliance.
 
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