Baldwin captured the important Egyptian fortress of Ascalon, but also had to deal with the increasing power of Nur ad-Din in Syria.

King Baldwin II died at the age of 60 when his grandson was a year old, which led to a power struggle between Melisende and Fulk.

In the Muslim world, Zengi ruled northern Syria from the cities of Mosul and Aleppo, and desired to add Damascus in the south to his control.

Baldwin marched out from Jerusalem and attempted to capture the Muslim fortress Bosra, but Nur ad-Din arrived with his army and forced the Crusaders to withdraw.

As the Crusaders marched back toward their own territory they were attacked by Nur ad-Din's cavalry, but Baldwin III's generalship combined with the martial prowess of his knights managed to throw off the Muslim assault.

[3] In 1148 the crusade finally arrived in Jerusalem, led by Louis VII of France, his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine, and Conrad III of Germany.

Nur ad-Din took advantage of the crusader defeat to invade Antioch, and Prince Raymond was killed in the subsequent Battle of Inab.

Also in the north, Baldwin was unable to help defend Turbessel, the last remnant of the County of Edessa, and was forced to cede it to Byzantine emperor Manuel I Comnenus in August 1150.

Baldwin remained behind to settle the affairs of Tripoli, while Hodierna took up the regency for her young son Raymond III.

The patriarch refused and as a kind of self-coronation Baldwin paraded through the city streets with laurel wreaths on his head.

[5] Though she was "retired", she maintained great influence in court and government affairs, acting as regent for Baldwin while he was on campaign.

The expedition was forced to withdraw when a dispute arose between Thierry, Count of Flanders and Raynald of Châtillon, the new husband of Constance of Antioch, both of whom wanted Shaizar for themselves.

The alliance was more favourable to Byzantium than Jerusalem, as Baldwin was forced to recognize Byzantine suzerainty over Antioch, and if Theodora were to be widowed she would be provided the city of Acre.

This offended Manuel, who considered Antioch imperial territory, and the emperor strengthened his ties to the principality in 1160 by marrying Princess Maria, Baldwin's cousin.

Baldwin himself suggested Manuel marry another cousin, Melisende of Tripoli, preferring not to see such a close relationship between Byzantium and Antioch.

"As soon as the king had taken the pills," says William of Tyre, "he was seized with a fever and dysentery which developed into consumption from which he was never able to obtain relief or help."

As William says, "For eight successive days, while the funeral procession moved from Beirut to Jerusalem, lamentation was unrestrained and grief was renewed almost hourly."

[3] A marble screen panel in the Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem, is from his [the caption states Baldwin II] or Fulk's tomb, formerly in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.