Fuller，inhisquainthistoryofthe“HolyWarre，“saysthatthisCrusadewasdonebytheinstinctofthedevil；andheaddsareason，whichmayprovokemirthnow，butwhichwasputforthbytheworthyhistorianinallsobernessandsincerity。Hesays，“thedevil，beingcloyedwiththemurderingofmen，desiredacordialofchildren’sbloodtocomforthisweakstomach；“asepicures，whentiredofmutton，resorttolambforachange。
　　Itappearsfromotherauthorsthatthepreachingofthevilemonkshadsuchaneffectuponthesedeludedchildrenthattheyranaboutthecountry，exclaiming，“O，LordJesus，restorethycrosstous！“andthatneitherboltsnorbars，thefearoffathers，northeloveofmothers，wassufficienttorestrainthemfromjourneyingtoJerusalem。
　　Thedetailsofthesestrangeproceedingsareexceedinglymeagreandconfused，andnoneofthecontemporarywriterswhomentionthesubjecthavethoughtitworthwhiletostatethenamesofthemonkswhooriginatedthescheme，orthefatetheymetfortheirwickedness。
　　TwomerchantsofMarseilles，whoweretohavesharedintheprofits，were，itissaid，broughttojusticeforsomeothercrime，andsuffereddeath；butwearenotinformedwhethertheydivulgedanycircumstancesrelatingtothismatter。
　　PopeInnocentIIIdoesnotseemtohavebeenawarethatthecausesofthisjuvenileCrusadeweresuchashavebeenstated，for，uponbeinginformedthatnumbersofthemhadtakentheCross，andweremarchingtotheHolyLand，heexclaimed，“Thesechildrenareawake，whilewesleep！“Heimagined，apparently，thatthemindofEuropewasstillbentontherecoveryofPalestine，andthatthezealofthesechildrenimpliedasortofreproachuponhisownlukewarmness。Verysoonafterwards，hebestirredhimselfwithmoreactivity，andsentanencyclicallettertotheclergyofChristendom，urgingthemtopreachanewCrusade。Asusual，anumberofadventurousnobles，whohadnothingelsetodo，enrolledthemselveswiththeirretainers。AtacouncilofLateran，whichwasheldwhilethesebandswerecollecting，InnocentannouncedthathehimselfwouldtaketheCross，andleadthearmiesofChristtothedefenceofhissepulchre。Inallprobabilityhewouldhavedoneso，forhewaszealousenough；butdeathsteppedin，anddestroyedhisprojectereitwasripe。HissuccessorencouragedtheCrusade，thoughherefusedtoaccompanyit；andthearmamentcontinuedinFrance，England，andGermany。Noleadersofanyimportancejoineditfromtheformercountries。Andrew，KingofHungary，wastheonlymonarchwhohadleisureorinclinationtoleavehisdominions。TheDukesofAustriaandBavariajoinedhimwithaconsiderablearmyofGermans，andmarchingtoSpalatro，tookshipforCyprus，andfromthencetoAcre。
　　ThewholeconductoftheKingofHungarywasmarkedbypusillanimityandirresolution。HefoundhimselfintheHolyLandattheheadofaveryefficientarmy；theSaracensweretakenbysurprise，andwereforsomeweeksunpreparedtoofferanyresistancetohisarms。Hedefeatedthefirstbodysenttoopposehim，andmarchedtowardsMountTabor，withtheintentionofseizinguponanimportantfortresswhichtheSaracenshadrecentlyconstructed。HearrivedwithoutimpedimentattheMount，andmighthaveeasilytakenit；butasuddenfitofcowardicecameoverhim，andhereturnedtoAcrewithoutstrikingablow。Heverysoonafterwardsabandonedtheenterprisealtogether，andreturnedtohisowncountry。
　　TardyreinforcementsarrivedatintervalsfromEurope；andtheDukeofAustria，nowthechiefleaderoftheexpedition，hadstillsufficientforcesathiscommandtotroubletheSaracensveryseriously。Itwasresolvedbyhim，incouncilwiththeotherchiefs，thatthewholeenergyoftheCrusadeshouldbedirecteduponEgypt，theseatoftheSaracenpowerinitsrelationshiptoPalestine，andfromwhenceweredrawnthecontinualleviesthatwerebroughtagainstthembytheSultan。Damietta，whichcommandedtheriverNile，andwasoneofthemostimportantcitiesofEgypt，waschosenasthefirstpointofattack。Thesiegewasforthwithcommenced，andcarriedonwithconsiderableenergy，untilthecrusadersgainedpossessionofatower，whichprojectedintothemiddleofthestream，andwaslookeduponastheverykeyofthecity。
　　Whilecongratulatingthemselvesuponthissuccess，andwastinginrevelrythetimewhichshouldhavebeenemployedinpushingtheadvantage，theyreceivedthenewsofthedeathofthewiseSultanSaphaddin。Histwosons，CamhelandCohreddin，dividedhisempirebetweenthem。SyriaandPalestinefelltotheshareofCohreddin，whileEgyptwasconsignedtotheotherbrother，whohadforsometimeexercisedthefunctionsofLieutenantofthatcountry。BeingunpopularamongtheEgyptians，theyrevoltedagainsthim，givingthecrusadersafineropportunityformakingaconquestthantheyhadeverenjoyedbefore。But，quarrelsomeandlicentiousastheyhadbeenfromtimeimmemorial，theydidnotseethatthefavourablemomenthadcome；or，seeing，couldnotprofitbyit。Whiletheywererevellingorfightingamongthemselves，underthewallsofDamietta，therevoltwasputdown，andCamhelfirmlyestablishedonthethroneofEgypt。Inconjunctionwithhisbrother，Cohreddin，hisnextcarewastodrivetheChristiansfromDamietta，and，forupwardsofthreemonths，theybentalltheireffortstothrowinsuppliestothebesieged，ordrawonthebesiegerstoageneralengagement。Inneitherweretheysuccessful；andthefamineinDamiettabecamesodreadful，thatverminofeverydescriptionwerethoughtluxuries，andsoldforexorbitantprices。Adeaddogbecamemorevaluablethanaliveoxintimeofprosperity。Unwholesomefoodbroughtondisease，andthecitycouldholdoutnolonger，forabsolutewantofmentodefendthewalls。
　　CohreddinandCamhelwerealikeinterestedinthepreservationofsoimportantaposition，and，convincedofthecertainfateofthecity，theyopenedaconferencewiththecrusadingchiefs，offeringtoyieldthewholeofPalestinetotheChristians，uponthesoleconditionoftheevacuationofEgypt。Withablindnessandwrong-headednessalmostincredible，theseadvantageoustermswererefused，chieflythroughthepersuasionofCardinalPelagius，anignorantandobstinatefanatic，whourgedupontheDukeofAustriaandtheFrenchandEnglishleaders，thatinfidelsneverkepttheirword；
　　thattheiroffersweredeceptive，andmerelyintendedtobetray。Theconferenceswerebroughttoanabruptterminationbythecrusaders，andalastattackmadeuponthewallsofDamietta。Thebesiegedmadebutslightresistance，fortheyhadnohope，andtheChristiansenteredthecity，andfound，outofseventythousandpeople，butthreethousandremaining:sofearfulhadbeentheravagesofthetwinfiends，plagueandfamine。
　　SeveralmonthswerespentinDamietta。TheclimateeitherweakenedtheframesorobscuredtheunderstandingsoftheChristians；for，aftertheirconquest，theylostallenergy，andabandonedthemselvesmoreunscrupulouslythanevertoriotanddebauchery。JohnofBrienne，who，byrightofhiswife，wasthenominalsovereignofJerusalem，wassodisgustedwiththepusillanimity，arrogance，anddissensionsofthechiefs，thathewithdrewentirelyfromthem，andretiredtoAcre。
　　LargebodiesalsoreturnedtoEurope，andCardinalPelagiuswasleftatlibertytoblastthewholeenterprisewheneveritpleasedhim。HemanagedtoconciliateJohnofBrienne，andmarchedforwardwiththesecombinedforcestoattackCairo。Itwasonlywhenhehadapproachedwithinafewhours’marchofthatcity，thathediscoveredtheinadequacyofhisarmy。Heturnedbackimmediately，buttheNilehadrisensincehisdeparture；thesluiceswereopened，andtherewasnomeansofreachingDamietta。Inthisstrait，hesuedforthepeacehehadformerlyspurned，and，happilyforhimself，foundthegenerousbrothers，CamhelandCohreddin，stillwillingtograntit。Damiettawassoonafterwardsgivenup，andtheCardinalreturnedtoEurope。
　　JohnofBrienneretiredtoAcre，tomournthelossofhiskingdom，embitteredagainstthefollyofhispretendedfriends，whohadruinedwheretheyshouldhaveaidedhim。AndthusendedthesixthCrusade。
　　Theseventhwasmoresuccessful。FredericII，EmperorofGermany，hadoftenvowedtoleadhisarmiestothedefenceofPalestine，butwasasoftendeterredfromthejourneybymattersofmorepressingimportance。Cohreddinwasamildandenlightenedmonarch，andtheChristiansofSyriaenjoyedreposeandtolerationunderhisrule:butJohnofBriennewasnotwillingtolosehiskingdomwithoutaneffort；
　　andthePopesinEuropewereeverwillingtoembroilthenationsforthesakeofextendingtheirownpower。NomonarchofthatagewascapableofrenderingmoreeffectiveassistancethanFredericofGermany。Toinspirehimwithmorezeal，itwasproposedthatheshouldwedtheyoungPrincess，Violante，daughterofJohnofBrienne，andheiressofthekingdomofJerusalem。Fredericconsentedwithjoyandeagerness。ThePrincesswasbroughtfromAcretoRomewithoutdelay，andhermarriagecelebratedonascaleofgreatmagnificence。Herfather，JohnofBrienne，abdicatedallhisrightsinfavourofhisson-in-law，andJerusalemhadoncemoreaking，whohadnotonlythewill，butthepower，toenforcehisclaims。Preparationsforthenewcrusadewereimmediatelycommenced，andinthecourseofsixmonthstheEmperorwasattheheadofawell-disciplinedarmyofsixtythousandmen。MatthewParisinformsus，thatanarmyofthesameamountwasgatheredinEngland；andmostofthewritersupontheCrusadesadopthisstatement。WhenJohnofBriennewasinEngland，beforehisdaughter’smarriagewiththeEmperorwasthoughtof，prayingfortheaidofHenryIII。andhisnoblestorecoverhislostkingdom，hedidnotmeetwithmuchencouragement。Grafton，inhisChronicle，says，“hedepartedagainwithoutanygreatcomfort。“ButwhenamanofmoreinfluenceinEuropeanpoliticsappeareduponthescene，theEnglishnobleswereasreadytosacrificethemselvesinthecauseastheyhadbeeninthetimeofCoeurdeLion。
　　ThearmyofFredericencampedatBrundusium；butapestilentialdiseasehavingmadeitsappearanceamongthem，theirdeparturewasdelayedforseveralmonths。InthemeantimetheEmpressViolantediedinchild-bed。JohnofBrienne，whohadalreadyrepentedofhisabdication，andwasbesidesincensedagainstFredericformanyactsofneglectandinsult，nosoonersawtheonlytiewhichboundthem，severedbythedeathofhisdaughter，thanhebegantobestirhimself，andmakeinterestwiththePopetoundowhathehaddone，andregainthehonorarycrownhehadrenounced。PopeGregorytheNinth，amanofaproud，unconciliating，andrevengefulcharacter，owedtheEmperoragrudgeformanyanactofdisobediencetohisauthority，andencouragedtheoverturesofJohnofBriennemorethanheshouldhavedone。Frederic，however，despisedthemboth，and，assoonashisarmywasconvalescent，setsailforAcre。Hehadnotbeenmanydaysatsea，whenhewashimselfattackedwiththemalady，andobligedtoreturntoOtranto，thenearestport。Gregory，whohadbythistimedecidedintheinterestofJohnofBrienne，excommunicatedtheEmperorforreturningfromsoholyanexpeditiononanypretextwhatever。Fredericatfirsttreatedtheexcommunicationwithsupremecontempt；butwhenhegotwell，hegavehisHolinesstounderstandthathewasnottobeoutragedwithimpunity，andsentsomeofhistroopstoravagethePapalterritories。This，however，onlymadethematterworse，andGregorydespatchedmessengerstoPalestine，forbiddingthefaithful，underseverepainsandpenalties，toholdanyintercoursewiththeexcommunicatedEmperor。Thusbetweenthemboth，theschemewhichtheyhadsomuchatheartbadefairtobeaseffectuallyruinedaseventheSaracenscouldhavewished。FredericstillcontinuedhiszealintheCrusade，forhewasnowKingofJerusalem，andfoughtforhimself，andnotforChristendom，oritsrepresentative，PopeGregory。HearingthatJohnofBriennewaspreparingtoleaveEurope，helostnotimeintakinghisowndeparture，andarrivedsafelyatAcre。Itwasherethathefirstexperiencedtheevileffectsofexcommunication。TheChristiansofPalestinerefusedtoaidhiminanyway，andlookedwithdistrust，ifnotwithabhorrence，uponhim。TheTemplars，Hospitallers，andotherknights，sharedatfirstthegeneralfeeling；
　　buttheywerenotmentoyieldablindobediencetoadistantpotentate，especiallywhenitcompromisedtheirowninterests。When，therefore，FredericpreparedtomarchuponJerusalemwithoutthem，theyjoinedhisbannerstoaman。