One of the most lasting effects of the Crusades in this region was the contact
between the crusaders and the Maronites. Unlike most other Christian
communities in the region, who swore allegiance to Constantinople or other
local patriarchs, the Maronites proclaimed allegiance to the Pope in Rome. As
such the Franks saw them as Roman Catholic brethren. These initial contacts
led to centuries of support for the Maronites from France and Italy, even after
the later fall of the Crusader states in the region. Additionally, the Shiite
population helped the Crusaders, which caused them to suffer the anger of the
Sunni population after the defeat of the crusaders. Indeed, the Shiites were
kicked from their heartlands in Jbeil and Kesserwan, and scattered in the
northern and Southern part of Lebanon, in the 14th century.
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It is also worthy to note, that Saladin, the Sunni Muslim Kurd General that
defeated the crusaders, accelerated their downfall by uniting both Egypt and
Syria against them, kicking the Shiite Fatimid dynasty from Egypt, and
switching the country back to Sunni.