During the two centuries of the Crusading era in the Levant (1095–1291), numerous Christian European and Eastern Muslim powers clashed with each other; however, at the same time, several rulers and dynasties had established different forms of accords and coexistence, many of which had developed into various levels of collaboration, even including the creation of military pacts.

The most common reason for coexistence in medieval times was concerned with trade and commercial activity, resulting from the economic needs of the different sides, despite the political–religious differences. Another important factor was diplomacy, especially covert diplomacy, restricted to rulers and their immediate entourage only, so they had more freedom to express their true needs, thoughts and intentions without worrying about the public's reaction, as Saladin once expressed to King Richard.

To support this theory, documents of the time reflected the extent of these contacts, providing more valuable information than accounts in contemporary chronicles, which provided only select information and the views of various historians. Before I discuss the Turcoman–Ayyubid accord with the Crusaders, I will present a brief anatomy of the ethnic–religious powers in the Levant to provide a greater understanding of such coexistence and cooperation.

When the Crusaders arrived to Syria in 1097, the Eastern and Muslim powers were divided as follows: Fatimid Berber or Musta‘li Isma‘ili Shi‘ites, controlling the Syrian coast with their power base in Cairo; the Nizari Isma‘ili Shi‘ites, who had rejected Cairo authority in 1094, and who were forming their power base in the mountains of central Syria (later using Masyaf during the 1130s as their power base); and the Druze, who believed in the divinity of the Fatimid caliph al-Hakim (d. 1021), and who actively preached in southern Syria. In addition, there were the Nusayris (now known as the ‘Alawites), from northern Syria and south-east Anatolia, emerging from the ninth century as a radical Shi‘ite sect, elevating ‘Ali, cousin of the Prophet Muhammad, to the level of a god.

Added to this were local Arab principalities, such as Tripoli, ruled by the Banu Ammar, Shayzar by the Banu Munqidh, and Tyre by the Banu ‘Uqayl, who changed their political loyalty between the Shi‘ite Fatimids and the Sunni powers as dictated by the need for survival.