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Wolff, R. L.; Hazard, H. W. (ed.) / Volume II: The later Crusades, 1189-1311
(1969)
XII: The Crusade of Frederick II, pp. 429-462
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Page 456
456 A HISTORY OF THE CRUSADES unarmed, while the Christians were permitted to enter it to pray. 100 Jerusalem presented a peculiarly difficult problem because of the Moslems who, since 1 1 87, had made their homes there. The sultan endeavored to secure for them a degree of autonomy, safeguarding both their system of justice and their religious customs. A magis trate (qadi) was to reside in the city to represent their interests, and non-resident Moslems were to receive protection while making pilgrimages to the mosques. The other Christian states, Tripoli and Antioch, apparently were to receive no aid from Frederick in case of war with the Moslems. Indeed, the emperor seems to have pledged his support to protect the interests of the sultan against all enemies, including Christians, for the duration of the truce. Certain strongholds of the Hospitallers, such as Krak des Chevaliers, al-Marqab, and Chastel Blanc (Burj Safitha), as well as Tortosa, held by the Templars, were to be left in statu quo, and aid was not to be given them from any source. 101 Finally, prisoners of war, taken either during the Damietta conflict or more recently, were to be released. The provisions relating to the various strongholds of the Templars and Hospitallers suggest that Frederick was revenging himself on them for their long opposition to him. It is less clear why Antioch and Tripoli, the possessions of Bohemond IV, should have been similarly treated, though Bohe mond's unwillingness to swear fealty to Frederick may explain it. The German and Sicilian followers of Frederick were satisfied with the treaty, and Hermann of Saiza in his letter to the pope tried eloquently, though in vain, to convince Gregory that much had been gained for the Christian cause. As the crusading poet Freidank put it: "What more could sinners desire than the Holy Sepulcher and the victorious cross?" 102 Frederick himself badly wanted a reconciliation with the patriarch, both because he hoped to be crowned in Jerusalem, in accordance with the honored custom, and because of the urgent necessity of his immediate return to Italy. He was willing to make important concessions if only the patriarch would accompany the army to Jerusalem. Again Hermann of Saiza was entrusted with this delicate mission. Gerald declined, however, to give an answer until he had been shown a copy of the treaty. He was then provided, not with the entire treaty, but with an abstract. The contents of this so stirred his anger that he could no longer behave rationally. His condemnation of the treaty was as thorough 100 A1-Maqrizi, "Histoire d'Egypte," ROL, IX, 525. 101 See the fragment in Huillard-Bréholles, III, 89, par. 6 and par. 9, and Kestner, Kreuz. Fried., pp. 53 ff. 102 Bezzenberger, Freidankes Bescheidenheit, p. 214. lines 7—3 2.
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