The Fifth Crusade

In 1215, the church divided up Europe into taxation sections and imposed new taxes to support the crusades. Each person was responsible for paying a penny a week — a huge sum at that time. In 1217, the Fifth Crusade was outfitted and ready to leave. The army planned to enter Jerusalem by way of the sea and then across the Nile River.

At this time, the Muslim world was ruled by Saladin’s nephew, al-Kamul. He offered the crusaders an unbelievable deal — they could simply have the Holy Land, no questions asked. The pope, however, wanted them to hold out for all of Egypt, too. He knew that Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II was headed in that direction with an army.

Frederick never showed up, though. The crusaders were led into Egypt by a Roman Cardinal named Pelagius. They camped on a flat area between two threads of the Nile River, which they were unaware was a flood plain. The Muslims knew. They opened the barriers, and the Fifth Crusade washed away in the night. The year was 1221.