Sixth Crusade
Assessment and Retrospective
The fall of Jerusalem to Saladin in 1189 set off an avalanche of crusading activity in Europe. The First Crusade had won the city, and the first generation of Crusaders had established four states which, however precariously they were held, seemed to the Europeans to be established facts. The loss of Edessa had tarnished this illusion, but Edessa was the least important, to Western eyes.
But the loss of Jerusalem stirred up all the old passions again. Once the Third Crusade had failed to recover the city (though it succeeded in preserving an important fragment of Outremer), every pope and every king thereafter was obliged at least to declare his intention of doing his part to win Jerusalem back. For some, the recovery of the Holy Land was a primary concern; for others, it was more of a public relations nuisance; but no ruler could affort to shirk his duty openly.
For forty years, Europe was more or less constantly on Crusade. The Third was followed by Emperor Henry VI's effort, which in turn was followed by the Fourth Crusade. A hiatus followed, but individuals went crusading, and Europe witnessed the Albigensian Crusade, a crusade in Spain, and the spontaneous Children's Crusade. Then came the Fifth Crusade, then Frederick's crusade.
This feverish activity ended in 1229. Jerusalem had been recovered, after a fashion, so there was no urgent symbol to invoke to stir support. The papacy became increasingly preoccupied with Frederick II, so two of the most important promoters of the Crusades were otherwise engaged. The Italians had good relations with the Muslims and were not interested in the risks of war. The great wave of crusading fervor was past. It would not return.