Itissaid，thatprevioustoquittingEurope，theGermanEmperorhadcommencedanegotiationwiththeSultanCamhelfortherestorationoftheHolyLand，andthatCamhel，whowasjealousoftheambitionofhisbrotherCohreddin，waswillingtostipulatetothateffect，onconditionofbeingsecuredbyFredericinthepossessionofthemoreimportantterritoryofEgypt。ButbeforethecrusadersreachedPalestine，Camhelwasrelievedfromallfearsbythedeathofhisbrother。HeneverthelessdidnotthinkitworthwhiletocontestwiththecrusadersthebarrencorneroftheearthwhichhadalreadybeendyedwithsomuchChristianandSaracenblood，andproposedatruceofthreeyears，onlystipulating，inaddition，thattheMoslemsshouldbeallowedtoworshipfreelyintheTempleofJerusalem。ThishappyterminationdidnotsatisfythebigotedChristiansofPalestine。Thetolerancetheyfoughtforthemselves，theywerenotwillingtoextendtoothers，andtheycomplainedbitterlyoftheprivilegeoffreeworshipallowedtotheiropponents。Unmeritedgoodfortunehadmadetheminsolent，andtheycontestedtherightoftheEmperortobecomeapartytoanytreaty，aslongasheremainedundertheecclesiasticalban。Fredericwasdisgustedwithhisnewsubjects；but，astheTemplarsandHospitallersremainedtruetohim，hemarchedtoJerusalemtobecrowned。Allthechurcheswereshutagainsthim，andhecouldnotevenfindapriesttoofficiateathiscoronation。HehaddespisedthePapalauthoritytoolongtoquailatitnow，whenitwassounjustifiablyexerted，and，astherewasnobodytocrownhim，heverywiselycrownedhimself。Hetooktheroyaldiademfromthealtarwithhisownhands，andboldlyandproudlyplaceditonhisbrow。Noshoutsofanapplaudingpopulacemadethewelkinring，nohymnsofpraiseandtriumphresoundedfromtheministersofreligion；butathousandswordsstartedfromtheirscabbards，totestifythattheirownerswoulddefendthenewmonarchtothedeath。
ItwashardlytobeexpectedthathewouldrenounceforanylongperiodthedominionofhisnativelandfortheuneasycrownandbarrensoilofPalestine。Hehadseenquiteenoughofhisnewsubjectsbeforehewassixmonthsamongthem，andmoreimportantinterestscalledhimhome。JohnofBrienne，openlyleaguedwithPopeGregoryagainsthim，wasactuallyemployedinravaginghisterritoriesattheheadofapapalarmy。Thisintelligencedecidedhisreturn。Asapreliminarystep，hemadethosewhohadcontemnedhisauthorityfeel，totheirsorrow，thathewastheirmaster。Hethensetsail，loadedwiththecursesofPalestine。AndthusendedtheseventhCrusade，which，inspiteofeveryobstacleanddisadvantage，hadbeenproductiveofmorerealservicetotheHolyLandthananythathadgonebefore；aresultsolelyattributabletothebraveryofFredericandthegenerosityoftheSultanCamhel。
SoonaftertheEmperor’sdepartureanewclaimantstartedforthethroneofJerusalem，inthepersonofAlice，QueenofCyprus，andhalf-sisteroftheMarywho，byhermarriage，hadtransferredherrighttoJohnofBrienne。Thegrandmilitaryorders，however，clungtoFrederic，andAlicewasobligedtowithdraw。
SopeacefulaterminationtotheCrusadedidnotgiveunmixedpleasureinEurope。ThechivalryofFranceandEnglandwereunabletorest，andlongbeforetheconclusionofthetruce，werecollectingtheirarmiesforaneighthexpedition。InPalestine，also，thecontentmentwasfarfromuniversal。ManypettyMahomedanstatesintheimmediatevicinitywerenotpartiestothetruce，andharassedthefrontiertownsincessantly。TheTemplars，everturbulent，wagedbitterwarwiththeSultanofAleppo，andintheendwerealmostexterminated。SogreatwastheslaughteramongthemthatEuroperesoundedwiththesadstoryoftheirfate，andmanyanobleknighttookarmstopreventthetotaldestructionofanorderassociatedwithsomanyhighandinspiringremembrances。Camhel，seeingthepreparationsthatweremaking，thoughtthathisgenerosityhadbeensufficientlyshown，andtheverydaythetrucewasatanendassumedtheoffensive，andmarchingforwardtoJerusalemtookpossessionofit，afterroutingthescantyforcesoftheChristians。BeforethisintelligencereachedEuropealargebodyofcrusaderswasonthemarch，headedbytheKingofNavarre，theDukeofBurgundy，theCountdeBretagne，andotherleaders。Ontheirarrival，theylearnedthatJerusalemhadbeentaken，butthattheSultanwasdead，andhiskingdomtornbyrivalclaimantstothesupremepower。Thedissensionsoftheirfoesoughttohavemadethemunited，but，asinallpreviousCrusades，eachfeudalchiefwasmasterofhisownhost，andacteduponhisownresponsibility，andwithoutreferencetoanygeneralplan。Theconsequencewasthatnothingcouldbedone。Atemporaryadvantagewasgainedbyoneleader，whohadnomeansofimprovingit，whileanotherwasdefeated，withoutmeansofretrievinghimself。ThusthewarlingeredtillthebattleofGaza，whentheKingofNavarrewasdefeatedwithgreatloss，andcompelledtosavehimselffromtotaldestructionbyenteringintoahardandoppressivetreatywiththeEmirofKarac。
AtthiscrisisaidarrivedfromEngland，commandedbyRichardEarlofCornwall，thenamesakeofCoeurdeLion，andinheritorofhisvalour。Hisarmywasstrong，andfullofhope。Theyhadconfidenceinthemselvesandintheirleader，andlookedlikemenaccustomedtovictory。Theircomingchangedtheaspectofaffairs。ThenewSultanofEgyptwasatwarwiththeSultanofDamascus，andhadnotforcestoopposetwoenemiessopowerful。HethereforesentmessengerstomeettheEnglishEarl，offeringanexchangeofprisonersandthecompletecessionoftheHolyLand。Richard，whohadnotcometofightforthemeresakeoffighting，agreedatoncetotermssoadvantageous，andbecamethedelivererofPalestinewithoutstrikingablow。TheSultanofEgyptthenturnedhiswholeforceagainsthisMoslemenemies，andtheEarlofCornwallreturnedtoEurope。ThusendedtheeighthCrusade，themostbeneficialofall。ChristendomhadnofurtherpretenceforsendingherfierceleviestotheEast。Toallappearance，theholywarswereatanend:theChristianshadentirepossessionofJerusalem，Tripoli，Antioch，Edessa，Acre，Jaffa，and，infact，ofnearlyallJudea；and，couldtheyhavebeenatpeaceamongthemselves，theymighthaveovercome，withoutgreatdifficulty，thejealousyandhostilityoftheirneighhours。Acircumstance，asunforeseenasitwasdisastrous，blastedthisfairprospect，andreillumed，forthelasttime，thefervourandfuryoftheCrusades。
GengisKhanandhissuccessorshadsweptoverAsialikeatropicalstorm，overturningintheirprogressthelandmarksofages。Kingdomafterkingdomwascastdownastheyissued，innumerable，fromthefarrecessesoftheNorthandEast，and，amongothers，theempireofKorasminwasoverrunbytheseall-conqueringhordes。TheKorasmins，afierce，uncivilizedrace，thusdrivenfromtheirhomes，spreadthemselves，intheirturn，overthesouthofAsiawithfireandsword，insearchofarestingplace。IntheirimpetuouscoursetheydirectedthemselvestowardsEgypt，whoseSultan，unabletowithstandtheswarmthathadcasttheirlongingeyesonthefertilevalleysoftheNile，endeavouredtoturnthemfromtheircourse。Forthispurpose，hesentemissariestoBarbaquan，theirleader，invitingthemtosettleinPalestine；andtheofferbeingacceptedbythewildhorde，theyenteredthecountrybeforetheChristiansreceivedtheslightestintimationoftheircoming。Itwasassuddenasitwasoverwhelming。
Onwards，likethesimoom，theycame，burningandslaying，andwereatthewallsofJerusalembeforetheinhabitantshadtimetolookroundthem。Theysparedneitherlifenorproperty；theyslewwomenandchildren，andpriestsatthealtar，andprofanedeventhegravesofthosewhohadsleptforages。TheytoredowneveryvestigeoftheChristianfaith，andcommittedhorrorsunparalleledinthehistoryofwarfare。AboutseventhousandoftheinhabitantsofJerusalemsoughtsafetyinretreat；butbeforetheywereoutofsight，thebanneroftheCrosswashoisteduponthewallsbythesavagefoetodecoythemback。Theartificewasbuttoosuccessful。Thepoorfugitivesimaginedthathelphadarrivedfromanotherdirection，andturnedbacktoregaintheirhomes。Nearlythewholeofthemweremassacred，andthestreetsofJerusalemranwithblood。
TheTemplars，Hospitallers，andTeutonicknightsforgottheirlongandbitteranimosities，andjoinedhandinhandtoroutoutthisdesolatingfoe。TheyintrenchedthemselvesinJaffawithallthechivalryofPalestinethatyetremained，andendeavouredtoengagetheSultansofEmissaandDamascustoassistthemagainstthecommonenemy。TheaidobtainedfromtheMoslemsamountedatfirsttoonlyfourthousandmen，butwiththesereinforcementsWalterofBrienne，theLordofJaffa，resolvedtogivebattletotheKorasrains。Theconflictwasasdeadlyasdespairontheoneside，andunmitigatedferocityontheother，couldmakeit。Itlastedwithvaryingfortunefortwodays，whentheSultanofEmissafledtohisfortifications，andWalterofBriennefellintotheenemy’shands。ThebraveknightwassuspendedbythearmstoacrossinsightofthewallsofJaffa，andtheKorasminianleaderdeclaredthatheshouldremaininthatpositionuntilthecitysurrendered。Walterraisedhisfeeblevoice，nottoadvisesurrender，buttocommandhissoldierstoholdouttothelast。Buthisgallantrywasunavailing。Sogreathadbeentheslaughter，thatoutofthegrandarrayofknights，therenowremainedbutsixteenHospitallers，thirty-threeTemplars，andthreeTeutoniccavaliers。ThesewiththesadremnantofthearmyfledtoAcre，andtheKorasminsweremastersofPalestine。
TheSultansofSyriapreferredtheChristianstothisfiercehordefortheirneighbours。EventheSultanofEgyptbegantoregrettheaidhehadgiventosuchbarbarousfoes，andunitedwiththoseofEmissaandDamascustorootthemfromtheland。TheKorasminsamountedtobuttwentythousandmen，andwereunabletoresistthedeterminedhostilitywhichencompassedthemoneveryside。TheSultansdefeatedtheminseveralengagements，andthepeasantryroseupinmassestotakevengeanceuponthem。Graduallytheirnumberswerediminished。Nomercywasshownthemindefeat。Barbaquan，theirleader，wasslain，andafterfiveyearsofdesperatestrugglestheywerefinallyextirpated，andPalestinebecameoncemoretheterritoryoftheMussulmans。
Ashorttimeprevioustothisdevastatingirruption，LouisIX。
fellsickinParis，anddreamedinthedeliriumofhisfeverthathesawtheChristianandMoslemhostsfightingbeforeJerusalem，andtheChristiansdefeatedwithgreatslaughter。Thedreammadeagreatimpressiononhissuperstitiousmind，andhemadeasolemnvowthatifeverherecoveredhishealth，hewouldtakeapilgrimagetotheHolyLand。WhenthenewsofthemisfortunesofPalestine，andtheawfulmassacresatJerusalemandJaffa，arrivedinEurope，St。Louisrememberedhimofhisdream。Morepersuadedthanever，thatitwasanintimationdirectfromHeaven，hepreparedtotaketheCrossattheheadofhisarmies，andmarchtothedeliveranceoftheHolySepulchre。Fromthatmomenthedoffedtheroyalmantleofpurpleandermine，anddressedinthesobersergebecomingapilgrim。Allhisthoughtsweredirectedtothefulfilmentofhisdesign，andalthoughhiskingdomcouldbutillsparehim，hemadeeverypreparationtoleaveit。PopeInnocentIV。applaudedhiszealandaffordedhimeveryassistance。HewrotetoHenryIII。ofEnglandtoforwardthecauseinhisdominions，andcalledupontheclergyandlaityalloverEuropetocontributetowardsit。WilliamLongsword，thecelebratedEarlofSalisbury，tooktheCrossattheheadofagreatnumberofvaliantknightsandsoldiers。ButthefanaticismofthepeoplewasnottobeawakenedeitherinFranceorEngland。Greatarmieswereraised，butthemassesnolongersympathized。Taxationhadbeenthegreatcoolerofzeal。ItwasnolongeradisgraceeventoaknightifherefusedtotaketheCross。Rutebeuf，aFrenchminstrel，whoflourishedaboutthistime1250，composedadialoguebetweenacrusaderandanon-crusader，whichthereaderwillfindtranslatedin“Way’sFabliaux。“Thecrusaderuseseveryargumenttopersuadethenon-crusadertotakeuparms，andforsakeeverything，intheholycause；butitisevidentfromthegreaterforceoftheargumentsusedbythenoncrusader，thathewasthefavouriteoftheminstrel。Toamosturgentsolicitationofhisfriend，thecrusader，hereplies，“Ireadtheeright，thouboldestgoodTothissamelandIstraightshouldhie，Andwinitbackwithmickleblood，Norgaineonefootofsoilthereby。
Whileheredejectedandforlorn，Mywifeandbabesarelefttomourn；
Mygoodlymansionrudelymarred，Alltrustedtomydogstoguard。