1187 Saladin attacks the kingdom of Jerusalem. Great defeat and capture of Guy at Tiberias. Saladin takes Jerusalem and then besieges Tyre, whence he is repelled by Conrad of Montferrat.
1188 Liberation of Guy, who renounces his title to Saladin. Conrad defends Tripolis.
1189 The Third Crusade arrives. Guy besieges Acre, assisted by a fleet of Danes, Frisians, and Flemings.
1191 Conquest of Cyprus by Richard Cœur de Lion, on his way to the Holy Land. He adds it to the kingdom of Jerusalem. Surrender of Acre. Defeat of Saladin at Azotus. Joppa and Askalon surrender to the Christians. Murder of Conrad of Montferrat, who by marriage with Sybilla’s sister, Isabella, has acquired right of succession to the kingdom. Foundation of the order of Teutonic Knights.
1192 Isabella marries Henry of Champagne, to whom Guy relinquishes his title, retaining that of king of Cyprus.
1193 On death of Saladin, his sons give Acre to the Knights of St. John—hence called St. John d’Acre.
1194 Death of Guy de Lusignan. His brother, Almeric succeeds as king of Cyprus.
1196 Death of Henry. His widow marries Almeric (II) de Lusignan, who reunites the kingdoms of Cyprus and Jerusalem.
1206 Death of Almeric. His son, Hugo I, succeeds in Cyprus. Jerusalem falls to Mary, daughter of Isabella and Conrad of Montferrat.
1210 Mary marries Jean de Brienne, who becomes king of Jerusalem.
1217 The Turks take Jerusalem from the Saracens.
1218 Jean de Brienne leads the Christians into Egypt and
1219 captures Damietta.
1221 Destruction of the Christian army in Egypt. The Turks regain Damietta.
1225 The emperor Frederick II declares that Jean de Brienne has, since Mary’s death, no claim to his title, and that it belongs to himself, since he has married Yolande, the daughter of Mary.
1228 After many delays, Frederick starts for the Holy Land.
1229 Frederick II makes a treaty with the sultan Malik al-Kamil, by which he recovers Jerusalem and other cities. He is the recognised king of Jerusalem.
From this time on (see Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Crusades) the Christian kingdom in Palestine may be considered a part of the Holy Roman Empire until 1291, when the sultan Khalil takes Acre and drives the last of the Christians out of Syria.
THE COUNTY OF ANTIOCH (1099-1268 A.D.)
A vassal state of the kingdom of Jerusalem founded 1099 by the crusaders with Bohemond of Tarentum at its head. Bohemond is captured by the Turks (1105) and Tancred goes to Antioch to govern. Bohemond released the following year. The emperor Alexius claims Antioch, but Bohemond successfully resists him. He goes to Europe, and after various adventures dies there in 1111. Tancred dies the following year. For eight years the principality is united to the kingdom of Jerusalem, but in 1126 Baldwin II of Jerusalem gives it to Bohemond II. Bohemond III rules 1162 to 1201. Some of the princes of Antioch rule in virtue of their wives’ right to the throne. In 1268 Bibars, the sultan of Egypt, captures Antioch and the principality comes to an end.
THE COUNTY OF TRIPOLIS (1109-1289 A.D.)
A vassal state or county of the kingdom of Jerusalem from 1109, when the city of Tripolis is captured by the crusaders and Raymond of Toulouse placed at its head. The Christians rule until 1289, when it falls into the hands of Kalaun, the sultan of Egypt, who destroys the city.
THE COUNTY OF EDESSA (1097-1146 A.D.)
In 1097 Baldwin I, brother of Godfrey de Bouillon, in consequence of a quarrel with Tancred, leaves the main body of the crusaders, conquers Edessa, and founds the vassal state of that name.
1100 Baldwin, made king of Jerusalem, gives Edessa to his cousin, Baldwin (II) de Bourg.
1118 Baldwin II is made king of Jerusalem and Jocelyn (I) de Courtenai takes his place in the county of Edessa. He wins many victories over the Saracens.
1131 Jocelyn II succeeds.
1144 Capture of Edessa by Zenki, emir of Mosul.
1146 Jocelyn regains Edessa, but the same year Nur ad-Din, Zenki’s son and successor, retakes and destroys it. End of the county of Edessa. On account of this event Bernard of Clairvaux preaches.
THE SECOND CRUSADE (1147-1149 A.D.)
1146 In the council of Vézelay, Louis VII of France assumes the cross; the emperor, Conrad III, follows his example some months later.
1147 The armies of Conrad and Louis start from Ratisbon and Metz respectively, marching through Hungary to Asia Minor. The German army in advance is nearly annihilated in Phrygia through the treachery of the Byzantine emperor, Manuel, by Masud I, the sultan of Rum. Conrad, with the remnant of his force, joins the French army along the seacoast.
1148 Unsuccessful attempt of the Second Crusade to capture Damascus and Askalon. Conrad, in ill health, returns to Constantinople and thence to Germany.
1149 Louis returns to France. Bernard is reproached for the failure of the crusade.
THE THIRD CRUSADE (1189-1192 A.D.)
The disastrous defeat and capture of Guy de Lusignan at Tiberias by Saladin, and the latter’s capture of Jerusalem (1187), reawakens the crusading spirit. Gregory VIII urges a new crusade.
1188 William, archbishop of Tyre, induces Henry II of England and Philip Augustus of France to assume the cross.
1189 Death of Henry. Richard (I) Cœur de Lion eagerly pursues his father’s project. The emperor, Frederick (I) Barbarossa, sets out with an army through Hungary. He spends the winter at Hadrianopolis.
1190 Frederick reaches Asia Minor with assistance of Isaac Angelus, and takes Iconium. Sudden death of Frederick. His son, Frederick of Swabia, leads the crusaders to Acre, which Guy de Lusignan, having regained his liberty, is besieging. Richard and Philip Augustus start by sea for the Holy Land. They spend the winter in Sicily, quarrel and are reconciled.
1191 Richard stops at and conquers Cyprus on his way to the Holy Land. Richard and Philip arrive at Acre. Death of Frederick of Swabia during the siege. Surrender of Acre. Compact with Saladin, binding him to surrender the true cross and pay a large sum. Philip quarrels with Richard and returns to France.
1192 Richard makes unsuccessful attempt to take Jerusalem. He relieves Joppa and makes truce with Saladin entitling pilgrims to visit Jerusalem unmolested, for a short time. Richard sails for England. Is shipwrecked near Aquileia. Seized near Vienna by Leopold, duke of Austria, who surrenders him (1193) to the emperor, Henry VI. Henry imprisons him, and he is released for a large ransom in 1194 and returns to England.
THE FOURTH CRUSADE (1195-1198 A.D.)
The Knights of St. John start in 1193 to organise a crusade. They are encouraged by Pope Celestine III, who hopes that the troublesome emperor Henry VI will be induced to take part in it. Henry also promotes the project, but has no idea of taking part in it.
1195 Henry makes use of one division of the crusaders to conquer the kingdom of Sicily. Two other divisions proceed to Syria.
1196 Defeat of the Turks between Tyre and Sidon.
1197 The crusaders besiege the fortress of Thoron, but make a disgraceful retreat on hearing of the approach of an army from Egypt.
1198 The Saracens capture Joppa. The count of Montfort concludes a three years’ truce with the Saracens. The crusade leaders return to Europe.
THE FIFTH CRUSADE (1201-1204 A.D.)
Pope Innocent III, on his elevation (1198), with the assistance of Fulk of Neuilly, preaches a new crusade.
1201 The company is organised by Simon de Montfort, Walter de Brienne, and Geoffrey de Villehardouin. Boniface of Montferrat chosen leader. The party proceeds to Venice. Treaty between Venice and the leaders for transportation. Unable to pay sum demanded, the doge, Dandolo, agrees to remit the sum lacking if the crusaders will capture for him the town of Zara, taken from Venice by the king of Hungary.