THE   FALL   OF  THE   HOLY  CITY	IOI
of the Hospital returned to Palestine without obtaining the
leadership of any of the Christian princes.
They came back to a kingdom which was beset with
quarrels. The leper Baldwin had resigned the direction of
the country in 1183 owing to his infirmity, and Sibella's
husband, Guy of Lusignan, had taken control. Guy was
unpopular with the nobles and the Patriarch, and they insisted
that, as Baldwin IV had withdrawn, a new king must be
appointed. For a short time, the child of Sibella and William
of Montferrat reigned as Baldwin V, and Guy claimed the
regency. The nobles, however, preferred to select Raymond,
Count of Tripoli, and, lest he should abuse his authority, they
entrusted the fortresses of the kingdom to the care of the
Temple and the Hospital.
The Master of the Temple at this time was Gerard de
Ridefort, who had been appointed in succession to Arnold de
Torroges in 1184. De Ridefort had come to the East in
search of fortune as a young man and had taken service in
Tripoli. He asked the hand of a ward of Count Raymond,
but Raymond refused the request, and de Ridefort therefore
entered the Temple. He nursed feelings of vengeance
against Raymond, and when raised to the Mastership of the
Temple he saw his chance to use the power of the Order to
injure the count. On the death of Baldwin V, Raymond
would probably have been made governor of Jerusalem, had
it not been for de Ridefort's opposition. The Master pressed
the claims to the throne of Sibella, mother of the late king,
and won round the Patriarch and a number of the lords to
the support of his nominee. With elaborate precautions to
prevent interference, he had Sibella crowned as Queen of
Jerusalem. She chose her husband, Guy of Lusignan, to
share the throne, and Raymond of Tripoli retired from the
kingdom in disgust.
While the Franks were engaged in such disputes, Saladin
was carefully preparing for another campaign against them.