Editing Sixth Crusade (section)

=== Negotiations between the emperor and the sultan ===
As described above, the sultan al-Kamil was in a desperate civil conflict in 1226. Having unsuccessfully tried negotiations with the West beginning in 1219, he again tried this approach. The sultan sent the emir [[Fakhr ad-Din ibn as-Shaikh]] to Frederick asking him to come to Acre for discussions, offering return of much of the Holy Land to Christian control in exchange for military support against his brother al-Mu'azzam at Damascus. Fakhr ad-Din reportedly was somewhat amazed when he reached Palermo and discovered that Frederick spoke Arabic, had admiration for Muslim society and contempt for Rome.{{sfn|Maalouf|2006|pp=226–227|loc=Fakhr ad-Din}}

Frederick responded by sending his ''bailli'' and trusted advisor Thomas of Aquino and [[Berard of Castagna|Berardus de Castacca]], [[archbishop of Palermo]], to meet with al-Kamil. Other than an exchange of gifts, nothing was accomplished. The bishop is reported to have continued on the Damascus to negotiate with al-Mu'azzam who, rejecting the overture, attempted to make peace with the younger Ayyubid brother al-Ashraf. The negotiations would continue in the autumn of 1227, after Frederick's excommunication, as described below.{{sfn|Van Cleve|1969|pp=448–450|loc=al-Kamil}}