Editing 1249 (section)

==== Seventh Crusade ====
* [[May 13]] &ndash; King [[Louis IX of France]] ("the Saint") assembles a Crusader fleet of 120 transports and embarks an army (some 15,000 men) at [[Limassol]]. Unfortunately, a storm scatters the ships a few days later. On [[May 30]], Louis sets sail to [[Egypt in the Middle Ages|Egypt]] – only a quarter of his forces sails with him, the others make their way independently to the Egyptian coast. Finally, the royal squadron arrives off [[Damietta]] on [[June 4]] aboard Louis' flagship the [[Montjoie Saint Denis!|''Montjoie'']]. The king's advisers urges a delay until the rest of his transports arrive before attempting to disembark, but Louis refuses.<ref>[[Steven Runciman]] (1952). ''A History of The Crusades. Vol III: The Kingdom of Acre'', pp. 219–220. {{ISBN|978-0-241-29877-0}}.</ref>
* [[June 5]] &ndash; [[Siege of Damietta (1249)|Siege of Damietta]]: Louis IX lands with a Crusader force and captures [[Damietta]], after a fierce battle at the edge of the sea. The onslaught of the knights of [[France in the Middle Ages|France]] and those of [[Crusader states|Outremer]] under [[John of Ibelin (jurist)|John of Ibelin]], force the Ayyubids back with heavy losses. At nightfall, [[Fakhr ad-Din ibn as-Shaikh|Fakhr ad-Din]] withdraws his army over a bridge of boats to Damietta. Finding the population there in panic and the garrison wavering, Fakhr ad-Din decides to evacuate the city. On [[June 6]], Louis marches triumphantly over the bridge into Damietta and builds a camp to attack [[Cairo]].<ref>Steven Runciman (1952). ''A History of The Crusades. Vol III: The Kingdom of Acre'', p. 220. {{ISBN|978-0-241-29877-0}}.</ref>
* [[November 20]] &ndash; Louis IX sets out (against the advice of his nobles) with a Crusader force from Damietta, along the southern road to [[Mansoura, Egypt|Mansourah]]. A garrison is left to guard the city – where Queen [[Margaret of Provence]] and Patriarch [[Robert of Nantes]] remain. The Crusaders make slow progress along the [[Nile]], carrying a number of supplies and equipment. After 32 days, Louis orders to make camp opposite the Ayyubid camp near Mansourah, protected by a branch of the river and fortifications. Both camps use their catapults to bombard each other.<ref>Steven Runciman (1952). ''A History of The Crusades. Vol III: The Kingdom of Acre'', p. 221. {{ISBN|978-0-241-29877-0}}.</ref>
* December &ndash; Louis IX consolidates his forces at Mansourah. After the death of Sultan [[As-Salih Ayyub]], Fakhr ad-Din effectively becomes the ruler of Egypt. He takes command of the city's defense and his cavalry harasses the Crusaders but none of these skirmishes is successful in holding up the Crusader's advance. Meanwhile, Louis orders the construction of a dyke at Mansourah, although the Crusaders build covered galleries to protect the workmen, the Egyptian bombardment (particularly [[Greek fire]]), is so formidable that the work is halted.<ref>Steven Runciman (1952). ''A History of The Crusades. Vol III: The Kingdom of Acre'', pp. 222–223. {{ISBN|978-0-241-29877-0}}.</ref>