The Near East underwent significant changes following the First Crusade, which concluded in 1099 with the capture of Jerusalem by the Crusaders. By 1135, the landscape of the region had been transformed by the establishment of several Crusader states, collectively known as the Outremer. These included the Kingdom of Jerusalem, the County of Edessa, the Principality of Antioch, and the County of Tripoli. These states were surrounded by Muslim territories that were fragmented but increasingly under the influence of powerful leaders like Zengi, the atabeg of Mosul, who sought to recapture the Crusader-held territories.

The Crusader states maintained a precarious existence, relying on fortifications and a constant flow of new Crusaders from Europe to defend against Muslim reconquest efforts. They also established complex relationships with their Muslim neighbors, including alliances and trade agreements, despite the overarching conflict.

The period following the First Crusade was marked by a series of military campaigns and battles, both among the Crusader states and between the Crusaders and various Muslim leaders. The Muslim world, initially taken by surprise by the First Crusade, began to organize more effectively against the Crusader states. Figures like Zengi and later his son Nur ad-Din, and eventually Saladin, played crucial roles in the Muslim counter-crusade efforts.

The Near East was thus characterized by a patchwork of Crusader-held territories and Muslim states, with shifting alliances and ongoing conflict shaping the region. The presence of the Crusader states would provoke further Crusades from Europe and counter-crusades from the Muslim world, making the Near East a focal point of conflict between Christian and Muslim powers for the next two centuries.