[7] Dynastic instability and internal divisions permeated the Kingdom of Jerusalem in the years leading up to and after the death of Baldwin IV.

Baldwin, who suffered from leprosy, had appointed various executive regents during his reign (Reynald of Chatillon in 1177; Guy of Lusignan in 1183[8]) to lead the Frankish armies in his stead.

[10] Presented with the fait accompli of the coronation, all barons submitted but for Baldwin of Ramla and Raymond, who refused to swear fealty to Guy.

[17] In response, Saladin launched an offensive against Reynald's castle at Kerak in 1187, leaving his son al Melik al-Afdal as commander of a contingency at Re’sulma.

A delegation of Gerard of Ridefort, master of the Knights Templar; Roger de Moulins, master of the Knights Hospitaller; Balian of Ibelin, Josicus, Archbishop of Tyre; and Reginal Grenier, lord of Sidon, were selected to journey to Tiberias to make peace with Raymond.

The Lyon Eracles, a Middle French chronicle written by Balian's squire Ernoul, redeems Raymond – saying he had warned them about the raid.

[23] Gerard and Roger assembled a small army consisting of the knights in Nazareth and the Templar garrisons from Qaqun and al-Fulah to meet the Ayyubid threat.

[20] On the morning of 1 May, the Frankish army rode east from Nazareth and happened upon the Ayyubid raiding party at the springs of Cresson.

[24] According to Ali ibn al-Althir, the ensuing melee was equally matched; however, the Ayyubid forces succeeded in routing the divided Frankish army.

Balian sent his squire Ernoul ahead to learn what had happened, with news of the disastrous battle discouraging the Frankish forces.

As a result of this backlash, Raymond severed his diplomatic ties to Saladin and returned to Jerusalem with the remaining envoys to pledge his support for Guy.

The Battle of Cresson is found in contemporary chronicles; however, these accounts differ considerably and have yet to be fully reconciled by historians.

[21] The Old French Continuation of William of Tyre (dated from the 1230s in its present form) includes an account by Balian's squire Ernoul.

[19] Counter to these narratives, Baha ad-Din ibn Shaddad's biography of Saladin reports that Gökböri was in Aleppo in the months preceding Hattin and does not mention his involvement in Cresson.