Page 469

Ch. XIII CRUSADE OF THEOBALD OF CHAMPAGNE 469 
 If Frederick did indeed ask the crusaders to delay their departure, he took
it in good part when they refused to follow his advice. He wrote to them
that the pope's support of the Lombard rebels had thrown his realm into such
confusion that he could give them little aid. He offered them passage through
his lands and ports. More over, he would write to his bailie of Jerusalem
directing him to aid them. The emperor closed with some sharp remarks about
the citizens of Acre, who had steadfastly refused to acknowledge his sovereignty.
Some months later he congratulated the crusaders on their safe arrival at
the city he had warned them against. He was much too short of funds to finance
the fortification of Jerusalem, but they could buy what supplies they needed
from his domains. In January 1241 he directed his agent in Sicily to allow
the purchase of supplies for the crusading army in Palestine.8 In view of
the difficulties besetting Frederick, he seems to have done what he could
for his not entirely welcome allies. 
 The crusading barons who gathered at Lyons formed an im posing group. At
their head stood two peers of France, one of whom wore a crown count Theobald
IV of Champagne, since 1234 king of Navarre, and Hugh IV, duke of Burgundy.
With them were two great officers of the realm, Amairic, count of Montfort
and constable of France, and Robert of Courtenay, butler of France. Below
these lords in feudal and official dignity but fully their equal in prestige
came Peter of Dreux, once count (duke) of Brittany and earl of Richmond.
Although by 1239 Peter was simply lord of La Garnache and Montaigu, he was
generally called count of Brittany. Then there were a group of counts of
secondary rank — Guigues of Forez and Nevers, Henry of Bar, Louis of
Sancerre, John of Macon, William of Joigny, and Henry of Grandpré.
Among the important men below comital rank were Richard, viscount of Beau
mont; Dreux of Mello, lord of Loches and Dinan; Philip of Montfort, lord
of La Ferté-Alais; Andrew, lord of Vitré; Ralph, lord of Fougères;
Simon, lord of Clermont; Robert Malet, lord of Gra ville; and William, lord
of Chantilly. With some overlapping these lords fall into three classes —
officials and servants of the French crown, relatives and former vassals
of Peter of Dreux, and vassals of Theobald. 
 Theobald IV was an excellent poet, an ineffective warrior, and an irresolute
and shifty politician. By 1234 he had lost through a 
8 J. L. A. Huillard-Bréholles, Historia diplomatica Friderici II (Paris,
1852—1861), V, 
360—362, 645, 646—647.