The Crusades of the Thirteenth Century
Once Saladin died in 1193, Pope Innocent III decided it was high time for another crusade. The crusaders didn't even make it to the Middle East before they had problems though. They were caught up in the argument of who the heir of the Byzantine throne would be. Many of the crusaders saw this as an opportunity to weaken the Byzantine empire. In 1204, they decided to attack the city and take over it. It took until 1261 for the Byzantines to finally retake it. The new empire was very much smaller and different than the old Byzantine superpower. It lasted for another 190 years, and then the Ottoman Turks took over it.
Back with the crusades, Nicholas of Cologne told people in 1212 that he received a vision from God telling him to lead a Children's Crusade. However, once they crossed the Alps, the pope sent them home like the children they were. Then a fifth crusade was taken up by adults, and they tried to take over the Muslim territory by using Egypt. This did not work, and that meant the pope didn't have much, if any power over the crusaders.
The sixth crusade was taken up by Frederick II was not even endorsed by the pope, and frankly, the Crusades were getting tiring after many failures. However, in 1228, Frederick got to Jerusalem and pronounced himself king. The minute he left, the Turks pounced on the city, taking it over once again. There were two more crusades following that, but neither worked, and the Christian cities fell back to Muslim control. The last one, Acre, fell in 1291. The whole purpose of the Crusades, which was for the Christians to regain their power in the Holy Land, had been a failure.
Back with the crusades, Nicholas of Cologne told people in 1212 that he received a vision from God telling him to lead a Children's Crusade. However, once they crossed the Alps, the pope sent them home like the children they were. Then a fifth crusade was taken up by adults, and they tried to take over the Muslim territory by using Egypt. This did not work, and that meant the pope didn't have much, if any power over the crusaders.
The sixth crusade was taken up by Frederick II was not even endorsed by the pope, and frankly, the Crusades were getting tiring after many failures. However, in 1228, Frederick got to Jerusalem and pronounced himself king. The minute he left, the Turks pounced on the city, taking it over once again. There were two more crusades following that, but neither worked, and the Christian cities fell back to Muslim control. The last one, Acre, fell in 1291. The whole purpose of the Crusades, which was for the Christians to regain their power in the Holy Land, had been a failure.