Seventh Crusade facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Seventh Crusade |
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| Part of the Crusades | |||||||||
 Louis IX during the Seventh Crusade |
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| Kingdom of France Kingdom of Jerusalem Knights Templar Knights Hospitaller Kingdom of Navarre |
Ayyubid Dynasty Bahris |
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| 15,000 infantry 2,400–2,800 knights 5,000 crossbowmen |
Unknown | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
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Heavy
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Heavy
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The Seventh Crusade (1248–1254) was a big military journey led by Louis IX of France. It was the first of two Crusades he led. This Crusade, also known as the Crusade of Louis IX to the Holy Land, aimed to take back the Holy Land from Muslim control. The plan was to attack Egypt, which was a major center of Muslim power at the time.
This Crusade happened because Christians had lost control of Jerusalem in 1244. Pope Innocent IV encouraged it, along with other campaigns. Even though the Crusaders had some early wins, the Crusade ended in defeat. Most of the Christian army, including King Louis IX, was captured by the Muslims.
After being released, Louis IX stayed in the Holy Land for four years. He worked hard to help rebuild the Christian kingdom there. Europe was busy with conflicts between the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor, so few people helped Louis after he was captured. One attempt to help was the Shepherds' Crusade, but it ended badly. In 1254, Louis returned to France after making some important agreements. His second Crusade, the Eighth Crusade in 1270, went to Tunis but was also unsuccessful. Louis died there shortly after arriving.
Contents
Why the Seventh Crusade Started
After earlier Crusades, the Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Muslim Ayyubid dynasty both faced many internal problems. These problems caused big troubles for both sides. The loss of Jerusalem and a major defeat at Gaza in 1244 greatly weakened Christian military power in the Holy Land. This also led to the rise of the Mamluk Sultanate, a new Muslim power. Because of these events, King Louis IX of France and Pope Innocent IV decided to launch the Seventh Crusade to try and get Jerusalem back.
Jerusalem's Situation (1241–1244)
The Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem had grown quite large by 1241. This happened after Theobald I of Navarre made peace agreements. However, the kingdom still faced problems. There was no strong central leader, and different groups of Christians often argued. For example, the Knights Templar and Knights Hospitaller fought each other in 1241.
Muslims believed that lasting peace with the Franks (Crusaders) was impossible. The Templars even attacked a Muslim city, Nablus, in 1242. They burned a mosque and killed some local Christians. These actions made the situation worse.
The Christian kingdom was weakened by arguments between different leaders and military groups. This left them almost defenseless against threats from the Ayyubids and the Mongols.
Muslim Powers and the Fall of Jerusalem
After the death of Sultan al-Kamil in 1238, the Muslim world in Egypt and the Middle East became very unstable. His sons fought each other for power. As-Salih Ayyub became the new sultan in Cairo in 1240. But he was not safe, as many leaders had divided loyalties. He started using Mamluk soldiers, who were skilled fighters. These Mamluks would later take over Egypt themselves.
A group of fierce fighters called the Khwarezmians attacked areas in Syria starting in 1240. They were like a mercenary group without a strong leader. In 1244, at the invitation of as-Salih Ayyub, the Khwarezmians attacked Jerusalem. They destroyed the Holy City on July 15, 1244. The city's main fortress, the Tower of David, surrendered a month later. Many Christians in the city were forced to leave or were killed.
Later that year, as-Salih Ayyub and the Khwarezmians defeated the Crusaders and their allies at the Battle of La Forbie near Gaza. This battle marked the end of Christian military power in the Holy Land. In 1245, as-Salih captured Damascus and became a powerful sultan. He later turned against his Khwarezmian allies in 1246, defeating them. Three years later, when the Seventh Crusade began, as-Salih was fighting in Syria. He quickly returned to Egypt but died in November 1249.
The Military Orders' Role
The military orders, like the Templars and Hospitallers, united to fight at the Battle of La Forbie in October 1244. This was a huge defeat for the Crusaders. About 5,000 Crusaders died, and 800 were captured. Only a few Templars, Hospitallers, and Teutonic Knights survived. Many important leaders were killed or captured. New leaders, like Guillaume de Sonnac for the Templars and Jean de Ronay for the Hospitallers, arrived after these defeats and would support the Seventh Crusade.
Louis IX of France: The Crusader King
Louis IX was born in 1214. He became king of France in 1226 when he was only 12 years old. His mother, Blanche of Castile, ruled for him and taught him to be a strong leader and a good Christian. She helped France become more stable.
In 1242, Louis faced a war against Henry III of England. The French army won a big victory at the Battle of Taillebourg. This was the last major fight between France and England for a while.
The fall of Jerusalem in 1244, which left the city in ruins, deeply affected Louis IX. He decided to organize a new Crusade. However, many Europeans were not as excited about a new Crusade as they had been in the past. There were too many problems within Europe itself.
In late 1244, Louis became very sick with malaria. He was close to death. He promised that if he recovered, he would go on a Crusade. He did recover and immediately began preparing. Many historians believe his Crusade was a truly "Holy War." Louis had already shown his devotion by buying important Christian relics, like the Crown of thorns, for France. He built the beautiful Sainte-Chapelle in Paris to house these relics.
Pope Innocent IV's Support
Pope Innocent IV became Pope in 1243. He faced many challenges, including a conflict with Emperor Frederick II. Innocent IV supported Louis IX's Crusade. In 1245, he held a big meeting called the First Council of Lyon. The council officially approved Louis IX's Crusade to take back the Holy Land.
The Pope also tried to deal with the threat of the Mongols in Europe. He sent messengers to the Mongols to try and form an alliance. He also tried to unite Christian rulers in Eastern Europe against the Mongol threat.
Talking with the Mongols
In 1245, Pope Innocent IV sent two groups of envoys to Mongolia. He hoped to form an alliance with the Mongols. One envoy, John of Plano Carpini, traveled all the way to the Mongol capital, Karakorum. He met the Great Khan, Güyük Khan. Güyük demanded that the Pope accept his rule. John reported back that the Mongols were only interested in conquering lands.
Another envoy, Ascelin of Lombardy, met with a Mongol general named Baiju Noyan in 1247. They discussed an alliance against the Ayyubids. The Mongols wanted to attack Baghdad and thought a Crusader attack in Syria would help them. However, no real alliance was formed before Louis's Crusade began.
Preparing for the Crusade
By 1244, the peace in the Holy Land had ended. Christian gains were lost, and the survival of the Kingdom of Jerusalem was in doubt. Calls for help were sent to Europe. Louis IX was determined to go on Crusade, despite some opposition from his mother and others. He saw it as a personal and spiritual journey.
Gathering the Army
Louis IX received the official blessing for his Crusade from the Pope. Odo of Châteauroux, a cardinal, began preaching about the Crusade in France. He explained how people could help, either by joining, donating money, or praying.
Recruiting soldiers was not always easy. The Pope also called for Crusades against Emperor Frederick II, which sometimes competed with the call to the Holy Land. However, many people in France, including Louis's brothers Alphonse, Count of Poitiers, Charles I of Anjou, and Robert I, Count of Artois, decided to join.
Some English soldiers, led by William Longespée the Younger, also joined. However, King Henry III of England did not want to get involved in a French war. He tried to stop other English lords from joining.
Paying for the Crusade
Louis IX spent a huge amount of money on the Crusade, over 1.5 million livres tournois. This was six times his yearly income! He got this money from various sources. For example, he expelled Jewish moneylenders and took their property. Many towns in France also contributed money.
The main source of funding came from people who had promised to go on Crusade but paid money instead. The French clergy also paid a special tax. This allowed Louis to have great control over his army.
Jean de Joinville's Story
In 1245, Louis gathered his nobles to get their support. One of them was Jean de Joinville, who wrote the most detailed personal account of any Crusade. Joinville came from a family of Crusaders. He joined the Crusade with 20 knights. He even had to mortgage his lands to pay for it. When he ran out of money in Cyprus, he joined the king's service to get financial help. Many other lords also received help from Louis.
Getting Ships and Supplies
Louis hired 16 ships from Genoa and 20 from Marseille. These ships were to meet at Aigues-Mortes, a small port that Louis had improved. The army that sailed with Louis in August 1248 was about 10,000 strong.
Louis made sure to plan everything carefully. He spent two years stockpiling huge amounts of food and other supplies in Cyprus, which was the meeting point for the army. He wanted to leave as little as possible to chance.
Political Challenges
Louis's preparations took three years. He had to raise special taxes and arrange for his mother, Blanche, to rule France while he was away. There were many foreign problems. He had to trust Henry III of England to keep the peace. The Venetians were unhappy because the Crusade might hurt their trade with Egypt.
The situation with Emperor Frederick II was also tricky. Frederick was the father of the King of Jerusalem, Conrad II. Louis had no right to enter the Holy Land without Conrad's permission. To make things worse, Frederick passed information about the Crusade to the Muslim sultan, as-Salih Ayyub.
The Journey to Egypt
The Seventh Crusade officially began on August 12, 1248, when Louis IX left Paris. His wife, Queen Margaret of Provence, and her sister, Beatrice of Provence, were with him. Two of Louis's brothers, Charles I of Anjou and Robert I, Count of Artois, also joined. His youngest brother, Alphonse, Count of Poitiers, joined the next year. Many other French nobles and some English and Scottish soldiers also participated.
Starting the Crusade
Louis's departure was a very religious event. He went to the new Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, which he built to hold his holy relics. He wanted to show that he was leading Christendom. He wore pilgrim clothes and walked barefoot to a monastery. On August 25, Louis sailed to his first stop, Limassol in Cyprus.
Stopping in Cyprus
Louis IX arrived in Cyprus on September 17, 1248. He had to wait a long time for all his forces to gather there. This delay was costly, as many men got sick and died. Others ran out of money and needed help from the king.
The Crusaders were welcomed by Henry I of Cyprus. Nobles from France joined with those from the Holy Land, like Jean de Ronay and Guillaume de Sonnac. They decided that Egypt would be their main target. Egypt was the richest and most vulnerable part of the Muslim Ayyubid lands. They remembered how the sultan's father had offered to trade Jerusalem for the city of Damietta during an earlier Crusade.
Louis wanted to attack right away, but his advisors told him to wait. Winter storms would make landing in Egypt dangerous. The sultan, as-Salih Ayyub, was away fighting in Syria. The Templars had even tried to negotiate with the sultan. But Louis refused to negotiate with Muslims. He had come to fight them.
Louis did try to make friends with the Mongols, following the Pope's example. He sent an envoy, André de Longjumeau, to meet a Mongol general. The envoy then traveled to Mongolia. However, the Great Khan had died, and his widow, Oghul Qaimish, was ruling. She saw Louis's gifts as tribute and refused to send a large army to help. Louis was disappointed but still hoped for a Mongol alliance.
By spring, it was time to sail to Egypt. Louis gathered ships, even though the Venetians were not happy about the Crusade.
The Crusaders at Damietta
The sultan, as-Salih Ayyub, had been in Damascus. When he realized the Crusaders were coming to Egypt, he rushed his armies back to Cairo. He was very sick with tuberculosis. He put his old advisor, Fakhr ad-Din ibn as-Shaikh, in charge of the army. The sultan sent supplies to Damietta and put brave Bedouin fighters there.
On May 13, 1249, the Crusader fleet of 120 ships was ready. Louis set sail on May 30 and arrived off Damietta on June 4, 1249. Only a quarter of his army was with him. Louis decided to land right away, even though his advisors wanted to wait for more ships.
On June 5, the Crusaders landed and began the Siege of Damietta. Louis led the fierce battle himself. The French knights and those from the Holy Land pushed back the Muslims. At night, Fakhr ad-Din withdrew his troops from Damietta. He tried to burn the bridge of boats behind him, but his orders were not followed. This allowed the Crusaders to enter the city easily. They learned from local Christians that Damietta was undefended. The city was captured with only one Crusader casualty.
The quick capture of Damietta was a surprise. However, the Nile River floods would soon trap the Crusaders. Louis decided not to advance until the floods went down. He also waited for his brother Alphonse to arrive with more soldiers. Damietta became a Christian city again. The main mosque was turned into a cathedral. Louis's son was later baptized there. Queen Margaret of Provence and other ladies of the Crusade came to Damietta. The city became the Crusader capital in the East for the summer. But the soldiers became bored and sick in the humid heat.
The loss of Damietta shocked the Muslim world. Sultan as-Salih Ayyub offered to trade Damietta for Jerusalem, just like his father had done before. But Louis refused to negotiate with a Muslim. Those responsible for losing Damietta were punished. Fakhr ad-Din was disgraced but later regained favor. Troops were sent to Mansurah, a city built by the sultan's father. Dying, as-Salih Ayyub was carried there to organize the army. Bedouin fighters attacked Crusaders who left Damietta.
Moving Towards Mansurah
The Nile floods went down in late October 1249. Alphonse arrived with more soldiers from France. It was time to march on Cairo. Some leaders suggested attacking Alexandria instead, but Louis and his brother Robert disagreed. On November 20, 1249, the Crusader army left Damietta for Mansurah. The queen and the patriarch stayed behind in Damietta.
Louis's timing was good. As-Salih Ayyub died on November 23, 1249. His widow, Shajar al-Durr, kept his death a secret for a while. She appointed her stepson, al-Muazzam Turanshah, as the new heir and Fakhr ad-Din as the temporary ruler. The Crusaders were encouraged by the news of the sultan's death, thinking the Muslim government would collapse.
The route from Damietta to Mansurah had many canals and branches of the Nile. Fakhr ad-Din kept most of his forces behind a large canal. He sent his cavalry to bother the Franks as they crossed the canals. The Crusaders reached the area near Mansurah in late December.
The Battle of Mansurah
For six weeks, the Crusader and Egyptian armies faced each other across a canal. This led to the second Battle of Mansurah on February 11, 1250. Louis tried to build a bridge, but the Egyptians attacked with Greek fire, forcing them to stop.
Then, an Egyptian Copt offered to show the Crusaders a secret crossing point. At dawn on February 8, the Crusaders crossed the canal. King Louis led the main army. His brother Robert I of Artois led the vanguard with the Templars and English soldiers. Robert was ordered to wait for the king, but he attacked the Egyptian camp right away. The Egyptians were caught by surprise. Fakhr ad-Din, the Egyptian commander, was killed by Templar knights.
After taking the Egyptian camp, Robert's commanders told him to wait for the main army. But Robert, determined to finish the fight, called them cowards and charged towards Mansurah. However, the Mamluk commander Baibars quickly organized the Egyptians. They let the Frankish cavalry into the town and then attacked them from narrow side streets. The horses couldn't turn, and the knights were trapped. Many knights died, including Robert I of Artois, William Longespée, and most of his English followers. Only a few Templars survived.
Louis arrived and fought bravely to secure his position. He brought his crossbowmen across the canal. The Egyptians eventually retreated back into the city. Louis had won a victory, but at a terrible cost, losing many soldiers and his own brother. This victory would not last long.
Disaster at Fariskur
The situation for Louis was similar to an earlier Crusade where the army captured Damietta but was later forced to retreat. Louis knew he might face the same fate unless the Egyptians offered good terms. On February 11, 1250, the Egyptians attacked again. The Crusaders fought hard, but many French nobles and Templars were struggling. The Templar master, Guillaume de Sonnac, lost his other eye and died. The acting Hospitaller master, Jean de Ronay, was also killed.
For eight weeks, Louis waited, hoping the leadership changes in Cairo would help him. But on February 28, 1250, al-Muazzam Turanshah arrived from Damascus and was proclaimed sultan. His arrival sparked a new Egyptian attack. They used light boats to block the Nile, stopping food supplies from Damietta. The Crusaders quickly faced hunger and disease.
The Battle of Fariskur on April 6, 1250, was the final defeat for Louis's army. Louis knew they had to retreat to Damietta. He tried to negotiate, offering to trade Damietta for Jerusalem. But the Egyptians knew he was in a weak position and refused. Louis refused to leave his men. The sick were sent by boat, and the able-bodied marched.
On April 5, the painful journey began. The Egyptians attacked from all sides. Louis himself fell ill. The next day, the Muslims surrounded the army at Fariskur and attacked with full force. Many, including Hugh X of Lusignan, were killed. The tired and sick soldiers knew it was the end. Louis surrendered on April 6. The king and his men were captured and taken to Mansurah. The ships carrying the sick were also captured, and the Muslims sadly killed all the wounded soldiers. The Egyptian victory was complete. A Templar knight wrote sadly:
Rage and sorrow are seated in my heart... so firmly that I scarce dare to stay alive. It seems that God wishes to support the Turks to our loss... ah, lord God... alas, the realm of the East has lost so much that it will never be able to rise up again. They will make a Mosque of Holy Mary's convent, and since the theft pleases her Son, who should weep at this, we are forced to comply as well... Anyone who wishes to fight the Turks is mad, for Jesus Christ does not fight them any more. They have conquered, they will conquer. For every day they drive us down, knowing that God, who was awake, sleeps now, and Muhammad waxes powerful.
Louis's Capture and Freedom
The Egyptians were surprised by how many prisoners they took. The sultan estimated 30,000, though this was likely an exaggeration. Many sick prisoners were killed. Louis was held in a private house, and other Crusader leaders were kept together. They were threatened with death, but their value for ransom kept them alive.
Louis was ordered to give up Damietta and all Christian lands in Syria. He said the Syrian lands were not under his control. The demand was dropped. The final terms were harsh: Louis had to give up Damietta and pay a huge ransom of 800,000 bezants for his army.
The queen, Margaret of Provence, played a key role in the deal. She was pregnant and gave birth to their son, John Tristan, Count of Valois, shortly after the army surrendered. She learned that the Italian merchants were planning to leave Damietta due to lack of food. She knew that without them, Damietta could not be held. She bought all the food in the city at a great cost, convincing them to stay. This boosted the city's morale.
The Latin patriarch went to finalize the ransom with the sultan. But he found that al-Muazzam Turanshah had been murdered on May 2, 1250, by his stepmother Shajar al-Durr and Baibars. Aybak became the new commander. The Mamluks confirmed the ransom terms. Louis refused to swear an oath that would make him deny Christ. On May 6, Damietta was handed over to the Muslims. Louis and the nobles were brought there. Louis had to find money for the first payment of the ransom. The Templars, who had a lot of money, finally agreed to help. Louis and the nobles sailed to Acre, arriving on May 12, 1250. Many wounded soldiers left behind in Damietta were killed by the Muslims, despite their promise.
After the Egyptian Campaign
The Seventh Crusade continued for four more years, but there were no more battles. In Acre, Louis worked to free his captured army and bring order to the Holy Land. His failure was deeply felt in Europe and the Muslim world. France went into a period of mourning.
Turanshah's death ended the Ayyubid dynasty. Shajar al-Durr married her commander Aybak and then gave him the throne. The Bahri Mamluks then took control of Egypt. Egypt remained a Mamluk Sultanate until 1517.
Henry III of England promised to go on Crusade but postponed it. Louis's brothers refused to send more help from France. Many French nobles were angry at the Pope for focusing on fighting Emperor Frederick II instead of helping the Crusaders. Emperor Frederick II died in 1250. His son, Conrad II of Jerusalem, inherited the Pope's conflict. Louis's mother even took property from nobles who joined the Pope's Crusade against Conrad. No reinforcements were sent to the East.
The Shepherds' Crusade
The Shepherds' Crusade of 1251 was a movement of poor shepherds and peasants from France. They wanted to help King Louis IX and rescue the Holy Land. After Louis was captured, his mother, Blanche of Castile, tried to find more soldiers, but nobles and clergy would not help. Then, ordinary people rose up, saying they would go to the king's rescue.
Around Easter 1251, a mysterious person called the "Master of Hungary" began preaching to shepherds in northern France. He claimed the Virgin Mary gave him a map. He gathered huge crowds, and they joined the Crusade without the Pope's permission.
The movement grew quickly, forming an army of almost 60,000 people. They carried a banner showing the Virgin Mary. This army soon became hostile to the clergy, accusing them of sending the king to the Holy Land. Many less desirable people joined them. They attacked priests and spoke against bishops and even the Pope.
Blanche thought she could send these "Pastoureaux" to help her son. She met the Master and gave him gifts. Feeling powerful, the Pastoureaux entered Paris and caused chaos. They then split into several armies, spreading terror across France. Blanche finally realized her mistake and ordered royal officers to arrest and stop them. The Master of Hungary was killed, and many of his followers were defeated. This ended one of the strangest popular movements.
Louis in Acre (1250–1254)
After arriving in Acre, Louis thought about his next steps. His mother wanted him to return to France because of problems there. But Louis felt he had to stay. His Crusade had caused a terrible loss of soldiers for both France and the Holy Land. He also felt it was his duty to stay until all the prisoners in Egypt were released. On July 3, he announced he would stay. He sent a letter to French nobles asking for more soldiers. He felt deeply the failure of his great effort and the loss of thousands of lives.
Louis as Ruler of the Kingdom
Louis's brothers and other nobles sailed from Acre in mid-July, leaving about 1,400 men in the Holy Land. The queen stayed with Louis. Their son, John Tristan, Count of Valois, was born there, and two more children, Peter I, Count of Alençon and Blanche, were born later.
Louis became the unofficial ruler of the Christian kingdom in the Holy Land. He was much better at dealing with the local people than Frederick II had been. He helped solve problems, like the one in Antioch after Bohemond V of Antioch died. Louis helped his son, Bohemond VI of Antioch, take power and make peace between Antioch and Armenia. In 1254, Bohemond VI married the Armenian king's daughter, strengthening their alliance.
When Henry I of Cyprus died in 1253, his infant son, Hugh II of Cyprus, became heir. Henry's widow, Plaisance of Antioch, claimed to rule both Cyprus and Jerusalem. But Louis continued to manage the government.
Negotiating for Prisoners
Louis's experience in Egypt and his small army made him consider talking to the Muslims. The time was good for diplomacy because the Mamluk takeover in Egypt was not popular in Syria. This rivalry between Cairo and Damascus helped Louis, as both sides wanted help from the Franks.
Louis received an offer from an-Nasir Yusuf of Damascus, but he waited. An alliance with Damascus might be good, but he still had prisoners in Egypt.
The Damascus army invaded Egypt in February 1251. They had some success, but some of their Mamluk soldiers switched sides during the battle. Yusuf fled back to Damascus. Mamluk power in Egypt was saved.
When Yusuf offered to trade Jerusalem for Frankish help, Louis sent a message to Aybak in Cairo. He warned Aybak that if the prisoners were not released, he would ally with Damascus. This worked! About 3,000 prisoners were released, including the Hospitaller master Guillaume de Chateauneuf, in exchange for 300 Muslim prisoners. Louis then demanded the release of all remaining prisoners without paying the rest of his ransom. Aybak agreed in return for a military alliance against Yusuf. He also promised to return Christian lands. Louis accepted, and the prisoners were released in March 1252.
When an-Nasir Yusuf learned of the treaty, he moved his troops to Gaza. Louis moved his troops to Jaffa. For a year, the Syrians and Franks faced each other without fighting. Louis used this time to repair the fortifications of Jaffa, Acre, Haifa, and Caesarea. In 1253, Yusuf asked the caliph in Baghdad to help make peace between him and the Mamluks. The caliph wanted to unite the Muslim world against the Mongols. Peace was signed in April 1253. The promise to return Christian territory was forgotten. However, neither Muslim leader wanted to fight the Franks anymore.
The Assassins and the Mongols
Louis received no support from Europe for a continued Crusade. He looked for allies in unexpected places: the Assassins and the Mongols. The Assassin leader in Syria asked Louis for money and to be freed from paying tribute to the Hospitallers. Louis refused. Then, the Assassins sent a humbler message, asking for a close alliance. Louis, knowing the Assassins were enemies of other Muslims, agreed to a defense pact.
Louis's main goal was to be friends with the Mongols. In 1253, he heard that a Mongol prince, Sartaq Khan, had become Christian. Louis immediately sent a group led by William of Rubruck to ask Sartaq for help in Syria. But Sartaq was not powerful enough to make such an alliance. No further contact happened before Louis left the Holy Land.
Louis Returns Home
While the Dominicans traveled further into Asia, Louis decided to return home. His mother had died in November 1252, and his kingdom in France was in disarray. Henry III of England was causing trouble again. There was civil unrest in France. Louis's duty was to his own kingdom.
He and his family sailed from Acre on April 24, 1254. His boat almost sank off Cyprus and later nearly caught fire. In July, they landed in France. The Seventh Crusade was over. It had achieved nothing but the loss of lives and money.
What Happened Next
The Seventh Crusade was a terrible military disaster for the Christian states in the Holy Land. Louis's four years in Acre helped repair some of the damage, but the loss of soldiers could not be recovered. His departure brought new risks. He left Geoffrey of Sergines as his representative. John of Ibelin became the new ruler of the kingdom.
The death of Conrad II of Jerusalem in May 1254 meant his two-year-old son, Conradin, became the nominal king of Jerusalem. As one of his last acts, Louis arranged a truce with Damascus in February 1254. The Muslim leader, an-Nasir Yusuf, was worried about the Mongols and did not want to fight the Franks. Aybak of Egypt also wanted to avoid war and made a ten-year truce with the Franks in 1255.
The Ayyubid dynasty effectively ended with the Siege of Aleppo in 1260, when the Mongols invaded. Later that year, the Mamluks defeated the Mongols at the Battle of Ain Jalut, stopping their advance. As the Mamluk dynasty grew stronger under Baibars, Louis IX asked Pope Clement IV to go on another Crusade, the Eighth Crusade.
Participants
- For a list of Christians who participated, see Christians of the Seventh Crusade.
- For a list of Muslims who participated, see Muslims of the Seventh Crusade.
See also
- Crusader states
- Eighth Crusade – another Crusade led by Louis IX in 1270
- Kingdom of Jerusalem
- Jean de Joinville – a detailed story about Louis IX and this Crusade
In Spanish: Séptima cruzada para niños
