Second Crusade: departure of German crusaders under Conrad III;

July

New wave of crusaders arrives and sets siege to Damietta on the Nile, with John of Jerusalem dominant commander;

Autumn

Death of Sultan al-Adil; his empire is split between his sons: al-Kamil becoming sultan of Egypt and alMu’azzam, sultan of Syria;

Pope Honorius III sends a legate, Pelagius, to lead Fifth the Crusade, undermining unity of command.

1219

August-September

Principality of Antioch and County of Tripoli come into dynastic union under Bohemond IV;

4-5 November

St Francis of Assissi arrives and visits the sultan of Cairo;

Damietta finally surrenders to the crusaders.

1220

March

Al-Muazzam, sultan of Damascus, sacks Caesarea, revealing weakness of Jerusalem’s defences during the crusade in Egypt;

April

John de Brienne abandons Fifth the Crusade and returns to defend his kingdom;

22 November

Frederick II Hohenstaufen crowned Holy Roman Emperor.

1221

July

Fifth Crusade: attempt to march up the Nile to Cairo meets with defeat;

September

Fifth Crusade: ends with a treaty swapping Damietta for the release of the captive crusaders and an eight-year truce.

1225

Spring

Henry I (aged 7) crowned King of Cyprus;

9 November

Frederick II and Yolanda of Jerusalem married in Brindisi.

1226

Frederick II concludes a treaty with sultan of Cairo al-Kamil aimed at his brother al-Mu’assam, Sultan of Damascus; Al-Kamil promises Jerusalem as a reward.

1227

August

Frederick II sets out on crusade but returns due to illness;

September

Pope Gregory IX excommunicates Frederick II;