Sixth Crusade
What's Another Vow, Among Friends?
In the wake of the Fifth Crusade, there was of course immediately a call for another. Even yet, Europeans were not ready to acknowledge they had lost the prize won by Godfrey and the rest so long ago. At the Council of Ferentino in 1223, Frederick renewed his Crusader vow in the presence of the Pope, the King of Jerusalem (John of Brienne, at the time), and the Grand Masters of the Military Orders. He even set a date: June 24, 1225.
He soon realized that he could not make the date. On the day after the deadline, June 25, Frederick renewed his Crusader vow yet again, this time at San Germano. The vow this time looked almost like a treaty, with Frederick agreeing to provide a thousand knights, a hundred troop ships and fifty fighting galleys. He would leave August 15, 1227 and would fight for a minimum of two years. Against this elaborate pledge he agreed to deposit a hundred thousand ounces of gold at Rome as surety should he break his vow.
He was on very thin ice now. The new pope, Gregory IX, plain did not like him and believed Frederick was delaying out of cowardice or worse. But it appeared the Emperor was at last serious. He massed his army in Apulia in the summer of 1227. Malaria broke out and many fell sick, but several thousand soldiers set out late in July under the Duke of Limburg.
Frederick was at Brindisi, where the disease was rampant. He was a little late departing, but on September 8 he set sail for the Holy Land. The vow was kept at least. Or so it seemed.