376 A HISTORY OF THE CRUSADES I 10 Albert of Aix, p. 498. For the rivalry
of Godfrey and Raymond see J. C. Andressohn,The Ancestry and Lite of Godfrey
of Bouillon (Bloomington, x~.7), pp. io~—i II. 
 
What saved the tiny state was al-Afçlal's failure to renew a prompt
and vigorous offensive. 
 Godfrey's first step in providing for the defense of the country was to
attempt to gain control of the Palestinian seaports. Thus he could make safe
the entry of pilgrims and supplies from Europe, could deprive the Saracens
of bases for raids by sea and land, and could gain control of the commerce
of the hinterland. An attempt to gain the surrender of Ascalon after the
battle near there, August 12, was foiled by the rivalry of Raymond, who disliked
the selection of Godfrey as Advocate of the Holy Sepulcher at Jerusalem and
who wanted the surrender of Ascalon for himself. Albert of Aix relates that
a few days later an attempt to gain Arsuf, forty miles to the north, was
spoiled by the obstinacy of Raymond.b0 Godfrey was so infuriated that he
wanted to attack St. Gilles, and was only dissuaded by Robert of Flanders.
Godfrey tried again to take Arsuf that fall, but failed because of approaching
winter and the lack of men and ships. The next spring he succeeded, with
the aid of Daimbert's Pisan fleet, in compelling Arsuf to pay tribute. Meanwhile
in January he strongly fortified Jaffa with the help of Daimbert's men. This,
and the presence of the Pisan fleet, so alarmed the Saracen governors of
Ascalon, Caesarea, and Acre that they also agreed to pay tribute. Soon after,
the shaikhs of the Transjordan, seeing that the new state might prove to
be more than transitory, made treaties with Godfrey. Their merchants gained
the right to come to Jerusalem and Jaffa. Likewise the merchants of Ascalon
could come to Jerusalem, and those of Jerusalem to Ascalon. This is interesting
evidence of how soon commercial activity brought the two sides together.
But Godfrey ordered the death penalty for any Moslem who came in by sea.
He wanted the Saracens of Palestine and the Transjordan to be economically
and politically dependent upon him, and not upon Egypt. 
 Godfrey set up a feudal system on the western European model to defend Palestine.
Albert of Aix writes that on the fourth day after the arrival of Godfrey's
brother and successor, Baldwin I, every knight and important man was called
in to account for his arms, revenues, and fiefs (beneficia), including his
fief in money revenues from the cities. Then the oath of fealty was exacted.
The principal fiefs Were in land. The greatest territorial vassal was Tancred.
This prince, immediately after the fall of Jerusalem, had