Crusades: Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Crusades

A treaty (1244) with Damascus restored Palestine to the Christians, but in the same year the Egyptian Muslims and their Turkish allies took Jerusalem and utterly routed the Christians at Gaza. This event led to the Seventh Crusade,Seventh Crusade, 1248–54, due solely to the idealistic enterprise of Louis IX of France. Egypt again was the object of attack. Damietta fell again (1249); and an expedition to Cairo miscarried (1250), Louis himself being captured. After his release from captivity, he spent four years improving the fortifications left to the Christians in the Holy Land.

The fall (1268) of Jaffa and Antioch to the Muslims caused Louis IX to undertake the Eighth Crusade,Eighth Crusade, 1270, which was cut short by his death in Tunisia. The Ninth Crusade,Ninth Crusade, 1271–72, was led by Prince Edward (later Edward I of England). He landed at Acre but retired after concluding a truce. In 1289 Tripoli fell to the Muslims, and in 1291 Acre, the last Christian stronghold, followed.

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Aftermath and Heritage of the Crusades
• Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Crusades
• Sixth Crusade
• Fourth, Children's, and Fifth Crusades
• Third Crusade
• Second Crusade
• The Later Crusades
• Course of the Crusade
• Origins
• Bibliography

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