Background
In 1187 Saladin captured Jerusalem from the Crusader states. In an effort to reclaim it, the Third Crusade was launched by King Philip Augustus of France, King Richard Coeur de Lion of England and Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa. Frederick Barbarossa, although taking Iconium, died after drowning in Anatolia and the German Crusade, which may have included between 100,000 and 150,000 men, disbanded. Only a few Germans continued to the Holy Land. A compromise was reached between the crusaders and the Muslims. The Holy Land remained largely a Muslim stronghold, but now Christian pilgrims could go there.
Frederick's older son Henry VI declared a new Crusade hoping that the massive momentum of the Third could still be utilized. Despite the stalemate of the Third Crusade, a large number responded:
- Two Archbishops
- Nine Bishops
- Five dukes
A large number of minor nobles also joined the Crusade and before long, according to Arnold von Lübeck in his Arnoldi Chronica Slavorum, a powerful military host of 60,000 including 7,000 German knights was on its way.
Read more about this topic: Crusade Of 1197
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