Fifth Crusade 1213-1221
Cause of Crusade The Fifth Crusade was another attempt to reacquire Jerusalem for Christians proposed by Pope Innocent III. This crusade came about due to the extreme failure of the last crusade attempt.
The Crusade The major European Christian leaders were busy with their own problems and were also disheartened by the failure of the last attempt to capture Jerusalem. So Pope Innocent III decided to request help from the common Christian people of Europe by offering them the incentive of indulgences for their sins. Moving forward to Acre, they were joined by the ruler of Antioch and Jerusalem. In an effort to help recapture Jerusalem, they were later joined by Holland's and Germany's forces. The Seljuk Sultan of rum allied them in their efforts too.
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They eventually got into Damietta and pillage the place. Next they went onward to Cairo. This was unsuccessful because Sultan Al-Adil and his army were going to attack. Noticing the rather large size of the army, the Egyptians tried to get away from the army by going to the Nile River which had recently flooded. The Crusaders became trapped and had to give back Damietta, which they just sieged. This crusade was the last one endorsed by the Pope or the church ever.
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Effects of the Crusade
Oliver of Paderborn siege of Damietta"We joined two ships which we bound together sturdily by beams and ropes … We erected four masts and the same number of sail yards, setting up on the summit a strong fortress joined with poles and a network fortification. We covered it with skins about its circumference … and over its top as a defence against Greek fire. Under the fortress was made a ladder, hung by very strong ropes and stretching out thirty cubits beyond the prow."
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