Here is part 2 of my eagerly unawated series on the parallels between the Crusader states of the Near East and Israel.
While they were technically up against numerically and logistically stronger foes who were fighting on their home turf, both Israel and Outremer had initial advantages that led to quick early victories. However, as the Muslim opponents grew accustomed to these tactics, they were able to adjust, negate, and in time, begin to overcome the initially stronger invaders. In less than a century, the military advantage that the knights had enjoyed during the First Crusader was completely gone as a result of the evolution of enemy tactics and power structure. The failure of the Crusader state to adapt in turn was rooted in its chaotic political system and in demographics.
How these same factors will play out for Israel remains to be seen, but I’ll try to figure out on the other side.