Sixth Crusade facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sixth Crusade |
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| Part of the Crusades | |||||||||
 Frederick II (left) meets al-Kamil (right) |
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Holy Roman Empire Teutonic Knights Kingdom of Sicily |
Ayyubids of Egypt Ayyubids of Damascus |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Frederick II Hermann of Salza Thomas of Aquino Peter des Roches William Briwere Henry of Limburg Odo of Montbéliard Richard Filangieri Balian of Sidon Pedro de Montaigu Bertrand de Thessy |
Al-Kamil Fakhr ad-Din ibn as-Shaikh An-Nasir Dā’ūd |
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The Sixth Crusade (1228–1229), also known as the Crusade of Frederick II, was a journey to take back Jerusalem and other parts of the Holy Land. It started seven years after the Fifth Crusade failed. This crusade involved very little fighting. Instead, Frederick II, the Holy Roman Emperor and King of Sicily, used clever talks. His efforts helped the Kingdom of Jerusalem get back control of Jerusalem and other areas for about fifteen years.
Contents
Europe After the Fifth Crusade
The Fifth Crusade ended in 1221. It did not gain more power in the Middle East. Frederick II, the Holy Roman Emperor, had promised to join but never did. The soldiers he sent to Egypt arrived too late. They could not change the outcome.
Pope Honorius III (who became Pope in 1216) reminded Frederick of his promise. But he did not force him to go right away. However, Gregory IX, who became Pope in 1227, was much stricter. At the same time, the Ayyubids in Syria and Egypt were fighting among themselves. Sultan al-Kamil was fighting his own family. He had offered land for peace during the Fifth Crusade. Frederick would later accept this offer.
Frederick II and the Pope
The failure of the Fifth Crusade was a big disappointment for Christians. Frederick II was the only European ruler strong enough to try and get Jerusalem back. He had promised many times to go on a crusade. He first took the cross in 1215 when he was crowned King of Germany.
Frederick promised again in 1220 when he was crowned by the Pope in Rome. A year later, Pope Honorius III reminded him he had not kept his promise. They met several times to plan the next crusade. Frederick kept promising to go, but he kept delaying.
A new date for the crusade was set for June 1225. Frederick also planned a smart marriage. His wife had died, so he decided to marry Isabella II of Jerusalem. She was the young queen of Jerusalem. This marriage would make Frederick the King of Jerusalem. The Pope approved the marriage.
Preachers were sent across Europe to find support for this new crusade. Frederick was supposed to lead it. But it was hard to get ready by the deadline. The Pope agreed to delay the crusade again in July 1225. This was ten years after Frederick first promised to go.
The Agreement of San Germano
Frederick II and Pope Honorius III signed the Agreement of San Germano in July 1225. Frederick promised to leave for the Crusade by August 1227. He would stay for two years. He also promised to pay money to help the Holy Land. This money would be returned when he arrived in Acre. If he did not go, the money would be used for the Holy Land anyway. He also promised to lead the crusade if he went.
Frederick swore to these terms. A church leader swore that the agreement would be kept. If not, Frederick would be excommunicated (kicked out of the Church). Frederick wrote to the Pope, accepting this punishment if the crusade did not happen. He had committed himself fully.
Problems in Italy
After agreeing to the crusade, Frederick called a meeting in Cremona, Italy. He wanted to fight against false beliefs and organize the crusade. He also wanted to regain power in northern Italy. But the cities there formed a group called the Lombard League. They had defeated his grandfather before. This group stopped Frederick's plans. The Pope helped make peace between Frederick and the League.
Becoming King of Jerusalem
Frederick II wanted to go to the Holy Land as its king. He married Isabella II of Jerusalem in 1225. She was crowned Queen of Jerusalem a few days later. Frederick sent ships to bring her to Italy. They were formally married in Brindisi in 1227.
Frederick's relationship with Isabella's father, John of Brienne, became difficult. Frederick claimed the kingship of Jerusalem for himself. John had thought he would remain king for life. Frederick said John lost his claim when Isabella married him. Frederick declared himself King of Jerusalem in December 1225.
John of Brienne went to Rome. The Pope supported John, not Frederick. However, many lords from Jerusalem accepted Frederick as their king. Frederick's first order was to give special rights to the Teutonic Knights. He also appointed a new leader for the kingdom.
Funding the Crusade
The treasury of the Kingdom of Jerusalem was empty. More money was needed for the crusade. John of Brienne tried to get support from European kings. But he did not get much help.
The Church had a system to fund crusades. But Frederick did not get much money from this system for his crusade. He had to raise the money himself. He put a tax on Sicily starting in 1228. He also got some money from Cyprus. But the lack of funds meant his army was small.
The Ayyubids After 1221
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The Crusaders lost the Fifth Crusade because of the combined efforts of the Ayyubid brothers: al-Kamil, al-Mu'azzam, and al-Ashraf. After 1221, al-Mu'azzam returned to Damascus. He did not trust his brothers. He fought against his relatives and other leaders.
Al-Mu'azzam even formed an alliance with a former general of Saladin's. He fought against his brother al-Ashraf. Sultan al-Kamil was worried about his kingdom. He started to think about making peace with the West again. He sent a messenger to Frederick II in 1226. He offered to return much of the Holy Land to Christians. This was in exchange for military help against his brother al-Mu'azzam.
By May 1227, al-Kamil felt trapped. He was still considering his offer of Jerusalem to Frederick. This seemed like his only good choice. Al-Mu'azzam died in November 1227. His son, an-Nasir Dā’ūd, took over. But peace among the Ayyubids did not last long. Al-Kamil took Jerusalem and Nablus in July 1228. He stayed in Jerusalem to talk with Frederick II.
The Crusade Begins
By 1226, it was clear the Sixth Crusade would happen. It would involve an invasion of Syria and Palestine to conquer Jerusalem. Frederick II was forced to lead it because of the San Germano agreement. After Pope Honorius III died, the new Pope, Gregory IX, was determined. He had a long-standing dislike for Frederick.
Key Events
The Crusade started in a complex way. There were several groups of soldiers sent. Frederick had talks with the Ayyubids. His departure was delayed because he got sick. Then he was excommunicated by the Pope. Finally, he arrived in Acre.
- August 1227: The first group of Crusaders left Italy. They arrived in Syria in October.
- 1226–1227: Frederick talked with Sultan al-Kamil.
- September 1227: The second group, including Frederick, left but had to turn back.
- November 1227: Frederick was excommunicated by Pope Gregory IX.
- June 1228: Frederick finally sailed.
After stopping in Cyprus for five weeks, Frederick arrived in Acre in September 1228.
German and Sicilian Soldiers
The Crusade's goal changed because Frederick was now King of Jerusalem. The focus was now on Jerusalem. Soldiers came from Germany, and money came from Sicily. Many German knights joined the crusade. They brought hope to the planners.
English Soldiers
Henry III of England had also promised to go on a crusade. But problems at home kept him busy. Still, many English people joined the Sixth Crusade.
William Briwere, the bishop of Exeter, went on the Crusade. He was helping fulfill his uncle's promise. Bishop Briwere went with Peter des Roches, the bishop of Winchester. Other Crusaders joined them. This group left Italy in August 1227.
These bishops were important advisors to Frederick II. The Pope had ordered people not to work with Frederick because he was excommunicated. But both bishops ignored this order. They worked closely with Frederick. Their money was very helpful. They used it to build up the defenses of Caesarea and Jaffa. Both bishops were present when the peace treaty was signed in February 1229.
Talks Between Emperor and Sultan
As mentioned, Sultan al-Kamil was in a difficult family conflict in 1226. He had tried talking with the West before. He tried again. The Sultan sent his messenger, Fakhr ad-Din ibn as-Shaikh, to Frederick. He asked Frederick to come to Acre for discussions. He offered to return much of the Holy Land to Christians. This was in exchange for military help against his brother al-Mu'azzam. Fakhr ad-Din was surprised to find that Frederick spoke Arabic. Frederick also admired Muslim society.
Frederick sent his own advisors to meet al-Kamil. They exchanged gifts, but nothing was decided. The talks continued in late 1227, after Frederick was excommunicated.
Crusaders Depart
The port of Brindisi was the starting point. By mid-1227, many Crusaders had arrived. The crowded conditions and hot weather caused sickness. Many soldiers went home. Others died.
The first groups of Crusaders sailed in August 1227. They arrived in Syria in early October. They included Germans, French, and English soldiers. They joined forces already there. They strengthened the coastal towns of Caesarea and Jaffa. They also rebuilt Montfort Castle.
Frederick and his group were delayed. Their ships needed repairs. They sailed on September 8, 1227. But many, including Frederick, got sick with the plague. One leader, Louis of Thuringia, died. Frederick got off the ship for medical help. He sent a fleet of twenty ships on to Acre. The Crusade was now led by Henry IV, Duke of Limburg.
In early 1228, a Muslim leader attacked a group of Crusaders near Tyre. Many horsemen were killed or captured.
Frederick's Excommunication
Frederick II sent messengers to tell Pope Gregory IX what happened. But the Pope refused to meet them. He would not listen to Frederick's side of the story. Frederick II was excommunicated on September 29, 1227.
The Pope did not care about Frederick's illness. He only cared that Frederick had not kept his agreement. The Pope accused Frederick of faking his illness. He said Frederick was relaxing instead of going to the Holy Land. Frederick's response was more factual. He asked more people to join the crusade.
In November 1227, the Sultan's messenger, Fakhr ad-Din ibn as-Shaikh, met Frederick again. It is believed Frederick knighted Fakhr ad-Din. The talks were kept secret. This worried the German Crusaders. Soon after, Frederick learned that al-Mu'azzam had died. This changed the power balance. Frederick sent more knights to Syria. He prepared to leave in the spring of 1228.
The Sixth Crusade
Frederick made one last effort to make peace with Pope Gregory. But it did not work. Frederick sailed from Brindisi on June 28, 1228. He had only a small force with him. The main army had sailed earlier. The leader of the Hospitallers refused to join Frederick. This was because Frederick was excommunicated.
Stop in Cyprus
Frederick's fleet sailed across the Adriatic Sea. They stopped at several islands. They arrived in Limassol, Cyprus, on July 21.
The Kingdom of Cyprus had been under the Holy Roman Empire since Frederick's father, Henry VI. Frederick arrived wanting to show his power over the kingdom. He was treated kindly by the local lords. But Frederick claimed that the current regent of Cyprus, John of Ibelin, was not the rightful leader. He demanded that John give up his land in Beirut. John explained that Cyprus and Jerusalem were separate kingdoms. He could not be punished for things in Cyprus by losing land in Beirut. This made the powerful Ibelin family turn against the emperor.
Frederick sailed to Acre from Famagusta on September 3, 1228. The King of Cyprus and John of Ibelin went with him.
In the Kingdom of Jerusalem
Frederick II arrived in Acre on September 7, 1228. The Templars, Hospitallers, and clergy welcomed him. But they would not give him the "kiss of peace." This was because he was excommunicated. Frederick tried to make peace with the Pope. But Pope Gregory IX had already decided. He told the Church leaders that Frederick's excommunication still stood.
When Frederick arrived, Acre was divided. Frederick's own army and the Teutonic Knights supported him. But the Templars, the patriarch, and the Syrian clergy followed the Pope's orders. The Pisans and Genoese supported the emperor. The English changed their minds several times. Frederick gave commands to his loyal followers. This was so other Crusaders would not get in trouble with the Pope.
Once news of Frederick's excommunication spread, public support for him dropped. The Hospitallers and Templars refused to join his army directly. But they supported the Crusade if Frederick's name was not on official orders. The local lords of Outremer (Crusader states) first welcomed Frederick. But they became wary of his desire to control everything. This was mainly because of how he treated John of Ibelin in Cyprus.
Frederick's army was not large. Many soldiers had gone home. He could not gather a strong enough army to fight the Muslims. He also heard that the Pope was planning to invade his own kingdom in Italy. He could not afford a long war in the Holy Land. So, the Sixth Crusade became a crusade of talks and agreements.
Treaty of Jaffa
After settling his family fights, Sultan al-Kamil was in a stronger position. He probably did not know that Frederick's army was much smaller than it seemed. Frederick realized his only hope was to negotiate for Jerusalem. He did not have enough soldiers to fight. He sent messengers to tell the Sultan he had arrived. Al-Kamil was friendly but did not commit to anything. Frederick then met the Sultan's messengers.
Frederick hoped a small show of force would convince al-Kamil to honor an old agreement. The leaders of the Templars and Hospitallers went with the emperor. But they stayed a distance behind him because he was excommunicated. In January 1229, Frederick learned that John of Brienne was attacking his kingdom in Italy. This put Frederick in a difficult spot. If he stayed too long, he could lose his empire. If he left without results, he would be shamed.
Luckily, al-Kamil was busy fighting his nephew in Damascus. So, he agreed to give Jerusalem to the Christians. He also agreed to give them a narrow path to the coast.
The treaty was signed on February 18, 1229. It also included a ten-year truce. English bishops Peter des Roches and William Briwere witnessed the signing. The full treaty has not survived. In it, al-Kamil gave up Jerusalem. But he kept control of some Muslim holy sites. Frederick also received Bethlehem and Nazareth. He got parts of the Sidon district, and Jaffa and Toron. These areas controlled the coast.
It was a compromise. Muslims kept control over the Temple Mount area in Jerusalem. This included the Jami Al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock. The castles across the Jordan River stayed with the Ayyubids. It was unclear if Frederick could rebuild Jerusalem's walls. But the Crusaders did rebuild them.
This agreement is known as the Treaty of Jaffa. It also included an agreement signed by other Ayyubid rulers. Frederick seemed to promise his support to the Sultan against all enemies. This included Christian ones. The other Crusader states would not get help if they went to war with Muslims. Prisoners from this conflict and the previous crusade were to be released.
In Jerusalem
The patriarch and the leaders of the military orders felt betrayed by the treaty. They thought its terms made protecting Jerusalem almost impossible. They tried to stop Frederick from entering Jerusalem. They threatened to excommunicate his army. They also threatened to place the city under interdict (a ban on church services).
Frederick entered Jerusalem on March 17, 1229. He received the city from al-Kamil's agent. The next day, he went to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. He placed the crown on his own head. It is not known if he meant this as his official coronation as King of Jerusalem. The absence of the patriarch made it doubtful. He was legally only regent for his young son, Conrad II of Jerusalem.
Frederick then met with the English bishops and military orders. They discussed rebuilding the city's defenses. On March 19, the bishop of Caesarea arrived to enforce the interdict. But he wisely chose not to. Frederick was already planning to leave. As Frederick left for the harbor, people in Acre threw dung and animal guts at him.
On May 1, 1229, Frederick left Acre. He arrived back in Brindisi on June 10, 1229. It took a month for the Pope to know he had left the Holy Land. By autumn, Frederick had regained full control of his empire. He was freed from excommunication in August 1230. He also returned goods taken from the Hospitallers and Templars in Sicily.
Legacy
Not everyone was happy with the results of the Sixth Crusade. Frederick wrote to Henry III of England, saying it was a great success. But the patriarch Gérold of Lausanne wrote a letter that painted a darker picture. On the Muslim side, al-Kamil was pleased. But Arabic writers called the treaty "one of the most disastrous events of Islam." They blamed the Sultan. Muslim historians disliked both the Sultan and the Holy Roman Emperor.
Frederick's treaty with al-Kamil would expire in ten years. This led Pope Gregory IX to call for a new crusade. This started the Barons' Crusade. It was not well organized. But it still gained more land than the Sixth Crusade.
Frederick had set a new example. He succeeded on a crusade without the Pope's direct involvement. He achieved success without fighting. This was because the Ayyubids were busy with their own family conflicts. Later crusades would be launched by individual kings. This showed that the Pope's power was decreasing.
For the Ayyubids, the treaty allowed Sultan al-Kamil and his brother al-Ashraf to focus on defeating their nephew an-Nasir Dā’ūd. They captured his capital city in June 1229. An-Nasir was left under al-Kamil's control. He kept the castle of Kerak.
Participants
You can find a list of people who took part in the Sixth Crusade here:
- Christians of the Sixth Crusade
- Muslims of the Sixth Crusade
See also
In Spanish: Sexta cruzada para niños
