This focus on the bigger picture of the eastern Mediterranean and even further afield thus led Manuel to intervene in Egypt: it was believed that in the context of the wider struggle between the crusader states and the Islamic powers of the east, control of Egypt would be the deciding factor.
Dette fokus på det store billede i det østlige Middelhav og endda længere borte, fik Manuel til at gribe ind i Ægypten: det mentes, at i den større sammenhæng i form af kampen mellem korsfæsterstaterne og de islamiske lande i øst, ville kontrol over Ægypten være den afgørende faktor.