Situation in the Middle East First Crusade

umayyad caliphate @ greatest extent

until crusaders arrival byzantines had continually fought seljuqs , other turkish dynasties control of anatolia , syria. seljuqs, orthodox sunni muslims, had formerly ruled great seljuq empire, time of first crusade had divided several smaller states after death of malik-shah in 1092.

malik-shah succeeded in anatolian sultanate of rum kilij arslan i, , in syria brother tutush i, died in 1095. tutush s sons fakhr al-mulk radwan , duqaq inherited aleppo , damascus respectively, further dividing syria amongst emirs antagonistic towards each other, kerbogha, atabeg of mosul.

egypt , of palestine controlled arab shi ite fatimid caliphate, smaller since arrival of seljuqs. warfare between fatimids , seljuqs caused great disruption local christians , western pilgrims. fatimids, under nominal rule of caliph al-musta li controlled vizier al-afdal shahanshah, had lost jerusalem seljuqs in 1073 (although older accounts 1076); recaptured in 1098 artuqids, smaller turkish tribe associated seljuqs, before arrival of crusaders.