Barons' Crusade

Background

The Treaty of Jaffa of 1229 was due to expire in 1239. Pope Gregory IX called for a new expedition. French nobles, including King Theobald of Navarre, headed East with a large army. On the Ayyubid side, after al-Kamil's death in 1238, a bitter rivalry had begun among the relatives ruling Egypt and Damascus.

Course of events

Theobald reached Acre in September 1239. In November 1239 a group of French barons, despite Theobald's warnings, attacked Egyptian forces near Gaza and suffered a heavy defeat: Count Henry of Bar was killed and Amaury de Montfort captured. In December 1239 al-Nasir Dawud, lord of Kerak, entered Jerusalem and demolished the city's fortifications.

Theobald came to terms with al-Salih Isma'il of Damascus and recovered castles such as Beaufort and Safed. Richard of Cornwall, arriving in October 1240, had Ascalon fortified and in 1241 made a treaty with the Egyptian sultan al-Salih Ayyub. This treaty confirmed the earlier gains and freed those captured at Gaza.

Outcome and significance

At the end of the crusade the Kingdom of Jerusalem reached its greatest extent since 1187, including Jerusalem, much of Galilee and Ascalon. But these gains rested not on military strength but on Ayyubid rivalry and temporary treaties.

Indeed, in 1244 Egypt's Khwarazmian allies took Jerusalem and the same year the Frankish army was destroyed at La Forbie; most of these gains were soon lost.

Sources and debates

The continuations of Ernoul and the Rothelin continuation give the Latin view; Matthew Paris reports Richard's activities from the English side. Ibn Wasil and Sibt ibn al-Jawzi describe relations among the Ayyubids and the treaties. The boundaries and castle lists of the treaties differ between sources.