The Preparations for the Expedition of Frederick II

Abstract

The failure of the Fifth Crusade's Egyptian campaign caused many to demand a scapegoat. According to the evidence of several accounts, the responsibility lay with Frederick II because he had not fulfilled the crusading vow he had made at his coronation. Writers described how the crusaders at Damietta had anticipated his arrival in vain. In his defence, Frederick had offered some support by sending contingents to Egypt under nobles such as Henry of Malta and the duke of Bavaria. Despite these efforts, the simple fact remained that by 1221 the crusade had failed and Frederick's vow lay unfulfilled. In the years that followed, pressure increased upon the emperor, particularly from the papacy, to depart for the East. Herman von Salza contributed to this by travelling twice to visit Frederick, once during the expedition and once shortly afterwards, to acquaint him of events. Perhaps as a consequence of these factors, Frederick renewed his vow at his imperial coronation in 1220 and promised to depart by March 1222. Nevertheless, March 1222 came but Frederick had still not set out. In 1223, further pressure was applied by Herman, Ralph of Merencourt (patriarch of Jerusalem, 1215–1224), John of Brienne (king of Jerusalem, 1210–1225) and other representatives from the Holy Land, who travelled to Italy where they secured an undertaking from Frederick that he would set sail for the east by June 1225. Seemingly to bind Frederick's interests tightly to those of the Holy Land, they reached an agreement with Frederick that he would marry the daughter of John of Brienne.