The Crusades

The First Crusade (1095-1099)

Nov 18, 1095

The First Crusade (1095-1099): The First Crusade was the most successful. Armies from Europe drove out the Turks and took control of Jerusalem

The Second Crusade (1147-1149)

Sep 15, 1147

The Second Crusade (1147-1149): In 1146 the city of Edessa was conquered by the Turks. The entire population was killed or sold into slavery. Then a second Crusade was launched, but was unsuccessful.

The Third Crusade (1187-1192)

Sep 15, 1187

The Third Crusade (1187-1192): In 1187 Saladin, the sultan of Egypt, recaptured the city of Jerusalem from the Christians. A third Crusade was launched led by Emperor Barbarossa of Germany, King Philip Augustus of France, and King Richard the Lionheart of England. Richard the Lionheart fought Saladin for several years. In the end he could not conquer Jerusalem, but he did win the right for pilgrims to visit the holy city once again.

The Fourth Crusade (1202-1204)

Sep 15, 1202

The Fourth Crusade (1202-1204): The Fourth Crusade was formed by Pope Innocent III with the hope of taking back the Holy Land. However, the Crusaders got sidetracked and greedy and ended up conquering and plundering Constantinople instead.

Children's Crusade (1212)

Sep 15, 1212

Children's Crusade (1212): Started by a French child named Stephen of Cloyes and a German kid named Nicholas, tens of thousands of children gathered to march to the Holy Land. This ended in total disaster. None of the children made it to the Holy Land and many were never seen again. They were likely sold into slavery.

The Fifth Crusade (1216)

Sep 15, 1216

In 1216 AD, Pope Honorius III succeeded in getting some more Europeans to agree to try again to conquer Jerusalem from the Ayyubids. This time, the Pope would be in charge instead of European kings. Friedrich II of the Holy Roman Empire wanted to come along, but the Pope said no, this crusade was for the Pope, not for kings. Some Hungarian troops went along.

The Sixth Crusade (1228)

Sep 15, 1228

Friedrich marched on Acre, in Syria. Acre was under the control of the Islamic Mamluks. But not everyone supported him. The political problems between the Guelfs and the Ghibellines that had troubled Friedrich at home continued to be a problem in Syria.

The Seventh Crusade

Sep 15, 1244

Jerusalem in 1244 AD, Louis announced his Crusade (in 1245). Louis raised money from church tithes and then sailed to Cyprus in 1248 (when he was 34 years old).

The Eighth Crusade

Sep 15, 1270

After Louis IX of France had gotten France organized, following the death of his mother, Blanche, he wanted to try another Crusade. The Seventh Crusade, which Louis led, had ended in failure in 1254 AD, so in 1270, when he was 56 years old, Louis tried again. But he started by going to Tunis, to get a base in North Africa. Unfortunately when dysentery struck his camp, Louis himself died of it. That was the end of the eighth and last Crusade.

The Last Crusade (so far)

Sep 15, 1271

The Ninth Crusade was launched by future Edward I of England who was on the way to the Eighth Crusade when Louis XI of France died. Edward landed in Sicily where he overwintered and sealed to Acre in spring of 1271 with hope to gather an army. However, the barons did not support him as he assumed, while Venice and Genoa eager to pursue profitable export of weapons, armor and slaves opposed his plans.