CHAP. IV.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

237

evolutions than the Frank; but both Egyptiansand Turks left the sea to the European Franks . 1The Turks of that period were disciplined. Norwere Curds, Arabs, Turcomans, and innumerablehordes, wanting; but on the day of battle they alljoined against the Christians for love of Islam or ofplunder . 2 Swimming over the Tigris or Euphrates,they united to ravage Syria. Ferocious savagesthey were; enough that they were Mussulmans!And indeed, from one or other of those unculturedtribes, sprang many of the most distinguished Ma-hometans—even Saladin himself . 3 As for theBedouins, they were sometimes in favour of theChristians ; and at worst they were easily kept inorder by the castles of Montreale, built by BaldwinI. between the Dead Sea and Egypt, and by thefortress of Kerak, in Arabia Petrea. The old chro-nicles are full of the wonderful cruelty of thenomades, they call Parthians ; but these barbarianswere Turcomans swarming from the eastern shoresof the Caspian, beyond the Persian frontiers. Yeton the whole, the Christians had to this been onthe increase. Even after the fall of Edessa itself,Joscelin had still various flourishing towns throughMesopotamia, and along both sides of the

1 Michaucl: Hist., ii. 73. 2 Id.: Id., ii. 74.

3 Id.: Id., 75.