Why did you go to Egypt? What you do not know about the Fifth Crusade

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The Crusades rolled on the east, and Egypt was a primary target of these campaigns, because the West knew that Cairo was the origin of the Renaissance and the country of resistance, and that is what happened in the Fifth Crusade.

The beginning was when Pope Innocent III (594 – 613 / 1198-1216), who was able to impose his control in Europe by calling for the Fifth Crusade.

The pope explained that the Muslims had built a new fort on Mt. Tour, a place that witnessed the greatness and glory of Christ. , And they are now threatening Acre, the last remaining part of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, and discussed some of the necessary measures to provide the necessary expenses for the processing of the proposed campaign, to be directed to Egypt.

But Pope Innocent III died in 1216 and was succeeded by the old Cardinal Savelli (Savelli) (Under the name of Pope HONRIUS III)Honorius II) (1216-1227)M). The date of the spring of the first 614 AH / June 1217 AD, the date of launching the campaign, the date of the end of the truce with the Muslims.

The new Pope dedicated his efforts, the efforts of Western society towards the Crusade and urged the kings of Europe to participate in the campaign, but only a few of them responded. The appeal was received by Leopold of Austria, Andre II of Hungary, Cyprus and others, and it was decided to change the usual campaign route, where Egypt was the target this time, not the Levant.

The first is the desire of the Italian commercial cities (the main financier of the campaign) to control the Mediterranean trade and to strike the Egyptian competition in its territory by controlling the port of Damietta, the most important port of the Mediterranean at the time, and the second of these The reasons lie in the political / military doctrine of the Crusaders that the defeat or neutralization of Egypt is at least the best guarantee for the survival of the Crusader settlements. The third reason was the restoration of the military honor that was soaking up the defeat of Hittin and the loss of Jerusalem.

And to talk the rest ..

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. (tagsToTranslate) The Fifth Crusade (t) The Crusaders in Damietta (t) Location Hattin (t) Saladin Ayubi