Outremer
King Baldwin I
Baldwin arrived in October, after a perilous journey south. He came into immediate conflict with Daimbert and Tancred, ousted them, and assumed control. The hope for an ecclesiastical state was gone. Baldwin assumed the title of king and was actually crowned king by Daimbert (popes can make kings) at Bethlehem on Christmas Day 1100.
Not only was Godfrey now gone from the scene, Bohemond was, too. In August 1100 he had marched north from Antioch, seeking to consolidate his own holdings, when he was defeated and captured by the Turks. So, by the end of 1100, Jerusalem was now ruled by King Baldwin I, Tancred was getting ready to go north to rule Antioch as regent, and Joscelin (a relative of Baldwin's) had taken over as Count of Edessa.
Baldwin was nothing if not a ferocious warrior. He was in Jerusalem no more than a week before he had marched out with an army to attack the Muslims. It was a pitifully small army, large enough to conquer villages and not much more. He marched directly to Ascalon, but could do nothing against that powerful city. He then advanced on Hebron, then out into the Negev desert. He burned villages as he went, and the local Arabs did not oppose him. He went as far east as Petra, then returned north to Jerusalem in time for his coronation at Christmas.
In the spring, he successfully plundered a rich caravan. This victory coming after his many other victories, caused the local emirs to decide they had better recognize him as a local power. Arsuf, Caesarea, Acre and Tyre all sent gifts, and Damascus ransomed the prisoners from the caravan.
In April 1101, a fleet from Genoa arrived at Jaffa. Baldwin offered them a deal similar to what Godfrey had offered to Venice, and with Genoese help he was able to take Arsuf peacefully and Caesarea by storm, sacking the latter terribly. A few days later, in late May, word came that an Egyptian army was coming up to Ascalon.