Chapter VI: Book XIV: A.d. 1248-1255

Alphonse count of Poictiers, and Hugh Lebrun count
of Angoulême engage in the holy war—Opposition
of Henry III. of England to his barons and the
pope—Raymond, count of Thoulouse—Count d’Artois—Death of
Negmeddin—Beauty and genius of Chegger-Eddour, sultana
of Egypt—Scharmesah captured by the Crusaders—Fakreddin
takes the command of the Egyptian forces—Treachery
of the Mamelukes—Military operations on the canal of
Aschmoum—Terrific effects of the Greek fire—Fakreddin
slain, and the Saracens defeated—Rashness of Count
d’Artois, and his death—Battle of Mansourah—The
Crusaders defeated by the Mamelukes—The earl of
Salisbury, Robert de Vair, and other illustrious
warriors slain—Continued contests with the Egyptians,
and severe losses of the Crusaders—Instances of devoted
heroism and individual bravery—The Crusaders exposed to
famine and pestilence, and the Saracens victorious—The
canal of Mehallah fatal to the Crusaders—-Sufferings and
losses of the Christian army—Guy du Chatel, Gaucher de
Chatillon, and other distinguished Crusaders slain—Louis
attempts to regain Damietta—Is defeated, and surrenders
as a prisoner of war—His entire army annihilated by the
Saracens—Sieur de Joinville taken prisoner—Agonizing
situation of Marguerite, queen of Louis—30,000
Crusaders massacred, or taken into slavery—Religious
resignation of Louis—He enters into an abject treaty
for his ransom—Revolt of the Mamelukes—Death of
Almoadan—Octaï, chief of the Mamelukes—The emirs of
Egypt—Chegger-Eddour elected sultana of Egypt, and
Ezz-Eddin Aybek the governor—Extinction of the Ayoubite
dynasty—Damietta delivered up to the Mussulmans—Ransom
paid for Louis—Consternation in France on hearing of his
capture—He arrives at Ptolemaïs—Deliberates with his
knights as to their future operations—The Syrians refuse
to acknowledge the authority of the Mamelukes—Civil
commotions in Egypt—Chegger-Eddour marries Ezz-Eddin,
and yields her regal authority—Death of Frederick II. of
Germany—Conrad, his successor, excommunicated—Jacob of
Hungary—“Pastors”—Pope Innocent IV. urges the preaching
of a fresh crusade—Singular message of the “Old Man of
the Mountain” to Louis—A visit to his court—Cities of
Palestine fortified by Louis—War between the sultans of
Cairo and Damascus—Treaty between them, and hostilities
resumed against the Christians—The Turcomans surprise
Sidon, and slaughter the inhabitants—Belinas pillaged by
the Crusaders—Pious devotedness of Louis—He fortifies
Sidon—Death of Blanche, queen-regent of France—Louis
quits Palestine, and arrives at Paris—Excellence of
Joinville’s history—On the character and misfortunes
of Louis—Damietta destroyed by the Mussulmans, and the
mouth of the Nile filled with stones—Rise and fall of
the Mamelukes—Hospital of Quinze-Vingts—The Tartars and
Moguls—“Assizes of Jerusalem”—Characters of Frederick
II. of Germany and Pope Innocent IV.—Papal crusade
against Eccelino de Romano pp. 393-493.

HISTORY

OF

THE CRUSADES.