The failure of the Fourth Crusade by 1205 though criticised for its diversion to Constantinople and its minimal aid to the Holy Land was not of a serious detriment to Western Europe’s zeal to continue and pursue holy war further. The Crusades had a setback but there was still more to be done, and they had yet to reach their height, crusading spirituality was very much one the rise. In 1212 the Christians of Spain were successful in defeating the Muslims of the peninsula in a victory at Las Navas des Tolosa. Also that year popular piety was unleashed in north-eastern France in the ill-fated Children’s Crusade. Also that year Frederick II Hohenstaufen, contender for the German Throne, in thanks for his success against rival claimants to the Imperial crown took the cross, promising to recover Jerusalem. In 1213 Pope Innocent III called for a new crusade to the Latin East offering a plenary indulgence and setting out the framework for that crusade in his papal bull Quia Maior, he also called for an ecumenical council to be held in 1215 where the crusade and its preparations would be discussed. It would soon be six and a half centuries since the rise of Mohammed, the numerology of Revelations was lost on none.

Innocent III had been the instigator of the Fourth Crusade in 1199, and from the debacle of that venture key lessons had been learnt, lessons that would be taken on board and applied to future campaigns. Finance would not be an issue again, never if at all possible would any campaign to the Latin East fall short of suitable funding. Strict funding practices would be applied, 1/20th of clerical revenues would be dedicated to the campaign over the course of three years. While Innocent and his cardinals promised to give 10% of their own incomes. Preaching tours of France were conducted, riding high on the tide of the Children’s Crusade, legates were dispatched to the Kings of France and England in an attempt to bring about peace between them so that their efforts might be expended in more righteous ways. Other legates and envoys were dispatched to Pisa and Genoa who were once again in a state of conflict. In 1216 he dispatched Jaques de Vitry, an old friend from his days studying in Paris to Acre to liaise with the Franks of Outremer and take up the position of the Bishop of Acre. Preaching tours from Ireland to Scandinavia were conducted and the Theology Professors of Paris declared that any who took a crusading vow and then failed to take it up had committed a mortal sin. Any who gave money or assistance to the crusade would be given a remittance of their sins, as would those who sent proxies in their place.



In 1215 The Fourth Lateran Council convened in the Lateran Palace in Rome, headed by Innocent III, and was one of the most pivotal events of the Middle Ages. The Crusade was but one of the many items of Church law discussed by the attendee’s which included the Patriarchs of Jerusalem and Antioch. The Crusade was discussed and the rules and prohibitions of it laid down, setting a template for all future activities, and bringing to fruition and codifying over a century of practice. From 1215 onwards what it meant to be a crusader and what constituted a crusade would be adequately defined. Trade in contraband goods to Egypt and Islam would result in the excommunication of those conducting it. The assembly point of Sicily and Apulia was designated and a departure date of June 1217. However was never to see the Fifth Crusade, he became ill whilst travelling to Perugia in 1216, and died there in July. Honorius III would succeed him, while a capable man he would lack the integrity of his predecessor.

However it was only few crusaders had actually arrived in Sicily by the stated time of departure. Preaching campaigns in the Netherlands and Rhineland had been very successful and a fleet had been assembled to carry 15,000 who had taken the cross. In England other took the cross, but they were unable to depart until after civil conflicts with John had been resolved. The Duke of Austria and the King of Hungary had both taken the cross and had made their own way to the Latin East. A Frisian fleet had made its way from Northern Europe, but had only reached Lisbon by the summer of 1217 where it remained. In October of 1217 Honorius III ordered those troops who had assembled to set sail for Cyprus in the autumn passage. King Hugh of Cyprus had gathered his 300 knights and headed to the mainland to Join John de Brienne the King of Jerusalem. That autumn in the city of Acre three kings and some 2000 knights and several thousand infantry gathered. Palestine would be the first theatre of war for the Fifth Crusade.



In November 1217 the combined crusader army marched out and headed northwards to Beisan which was captured, the then turned into the Galilee region and raided up to the Jordan. Al-Adil, Saladin’s brother and now Sultan was unprepared and outnumbered to face such a force, the largest that had been seen in the Latin East since the Third Crusade. He retreated to protect Damascus and had his son Al-Muazzim set to cover Jerusalem. However neither was the next target of the crusader host. It was to Mt. Tabor, upon which a fortress had been built by the Muslims in 1213, to protect from Christian raiding. This fortress also threatened communications and the security of the hinterlands of the cities of Acre and Tyre. The fortress was besieged in early December but despite several assaults by the crusader army failed to be taken, as winter set in and they met with little success the army began to break up. Mt. Tabor continued to hold out and by early January the siege was over as crusaders returned to Acre. The King of Hungary having been satisfied of the fulfilment of his vow departed for the coast to return home, though the Patriarch of Jerusalem pleaded for him to remain. The King of Hungary was accompanied by King Hugh of Cyprus. They arrived in Tripoli where the Hungarian army took ship; Hugh became sick and died suddenly on the 10th January 1218, leaving his eight month old son Henry as King of Cyprus. The Hungarians departed, calling in at Constantinople along the way.

In April the Frisian fleet arrived in Acre bringing much needed troops and supplies for further campaigning. The Frisians were soon followed by the troops from France who had gathered in Sicily and southern Italy. Al-Adil dismantled the fortification atop Mt. Tabor, achieving more than the King of Hungary could, and removed a potential risk to Damascus and Jerusalem should it be captured. In the Spring of 1218 the pilgrims of the Fifth Crusade gathered, assisted by the Templars and Teutonic Knights, they marched south past Mt. Carmel along the coast, there to begin construction of the fortress of Chateau Pelerin at Athlit. In Acre the remaining crusaders took council, there with the heads of the three main military orders they discussed their options. It was decided that an attack on Egypt would be the best policy, by reducing the power house of the Ayyubids and by capturing cities there, they might be used as bargaining chips for land in Palestine, even the return of Jerusalem. Losing their richest province would be a considerable blow, and also remove the potential threat of any Egyptian fleets in the Eastern Mediterranean. John de Brienne as the only remaining King was recognised as leader. However this was more due to there being a lack of a better candidate than any particular deference to the crown of Jerusalem. In late May of 1218 John left 500 knights in Acre to guard the cities of the coast against counter attacks and then set out with another 1400 knights for Egypt in the Frisian ships, their target was the city of Damietta.

After occupying the port of Damietta, the Crusaders marched south towards Cairo in July 1221, but were turned back after their dwindling supplies led to a forced retreat. A nighttime attack by Sultan Al-Kamil resulted in a great number of crusader losses, and eventually in the surrender of the army. Al-Kamil agreed to an eight-year peace agreement with Europe.

Oliver of Cologne had preached the crusade in Germany, and Emperor Frederick II attempted to join in 1215. Frederick was the last monarch Innocent wanted to join, as he had challenged the Papacy (and would do so in the years to come). Innocent, however, died in 1216. He was succeeded by Pope Honorius III, who barred Frederick from participating, but organized crusading armies led by king Andrew II of Hungary and duke Leopold VI of Austria. Andrew had the largest royal army in the history of the crusades (20,000 knights and 12,000 castle-garrisons)


Source Material

Ernoul and Eracles Continuation of William of Tyre
Jaques de Vitry
Oliver von Paserborn