Chapter I: Book IX: A.d. 1195-1198

FOURTH CRUSADE.

The empire of Saladin divided among his
successors—The civil wars thence arising—Dynasty of
the Ayoubites—Extensive empire of Afdhal, son of
Saladin—His civil contests—Alaziz, sultan of Egypt,
takes arms against his brother—Nazr-Allah, vizier
of the sultan Afdhal—Malek-Adel—Civil commotions
of Palestine—Agitated state of the Christian
colonies—Bohemond III. governor of Antioch, taken
prisoner—Hospitallers and Templars—Pope Celestine III.
instigates the fourth crusade—Henry VI., emperor of
Germany, engages to assist—Diet of Worms—Hostilities at
Ptolemaïs—Death of Henry of Champagne—Jaffa captured by
the Mussulmans—Siege and battle of Berytus—Malek-Adel
defeated—Fallandus, the Sicilian historian—Henry VI.
of Germany conquers Naples and Sicily—Progress of his
arms in Palestine—The Saracens defeated—Death of Henry
VI.—Massacre of the garrison of Jaffa—St. Martin—Causes
of the failure of this crusade, and its mischievous
consequences—Cruel character of Henry VI pp. 1-35.