Editing Third Crusade (section)

===Taking the cross===
On 27 October 1187, just over three weeks after Saladin's capture of Jerusalem, Pope Gregory VIII sent letters to the German episcopate announcing his election and ordering them to win the German nobility over to a new crusade. Around 23 November, Frederick received letters that had been sent to him from the rulers of the Crusader states in the East urging him to come to their aid.{{sfn|Freed|2016|p=471}}

By 11 November, Cardinal [[Henry of Marcy]] had been appointed to preach the crusade in Germany. He preached before Frederick and a public assembly in [[Strasbourg]] around 1 December, as did Bishop [[Henry of Hasenburg|Henry of Strasbourg]]. About 500 knights took the cross at Strasbourg, but Frederick demurred on the grounds of his ongoing conflict with Archbishop [[Philip I (archbishop of Cologne)|Philip of Cologne]]. He did, however, send envoys to Philip of France (at the time his ally) to urge him to take the cross. On 25 December, Frederick and Philip met in person on the border between [[Ivois]] and [[Mouzon, Ardennes|Mouzon]] in the presence of Henry of Marcy and [[Joscius, Archbishop of Tyre]], but he could not convince Philip to go on a crusade because he was at war with England.{{sfn|Freed|2016|p=471}}

Frederick held [[Curia Christi|a diet in Mainz]] on 27 March 1188. Because of its purpose, he named the diet the "Court of Christ". The archbishop of Cologne submitted to Frederick and peace was restored to the empire. Bishop [[Godfrey of Spitzenberg|Godfrey of Würzburg]] preached a crusade sermon and Frederick, at the urging of the assembly, took the cross. He was followed by his son, Duke [[Frederick VI of Swabia]],{{efn|Frederick's eldest son, [[Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor|Henry VI]], who had already been elected [[king of the Romans]], was to remain behind as regent. On 10 April 1189, Frederick wrote to Pope Clement III asking for a postponement of Henry's planned coronation as co-emperor because he did not want Henry to leave Germany during the regency.{{sfn|Freed|2016|p=479}} Frederick formally appointed his son as regent at Regensburg on the eve of his departure.{{sfn|Freed|2016|p=487}}}} and by Duke [[Frederick of Bohemia]],{{efn|The duke of Bohemia died before the crusade began.{{sfn|Freed|2016|p=487}}}} Duke [[Leopold V, Duke of Austria|Leopold V of Austria]], Landgrave [[Louis III of Thuringia]]{{efn|Both Leopold V and Louis III sailed with their armies from Italy rather than march overland with Frederick.{{sfn|Freed|2016|p=487}} Leopold was delayed by a border dispute with Hungary.{{sfn|Freed|2016|p=488}}}} and a host of lesser nobles.{{sfn|Freed|2016|pp=472–473}}

After taking the cross, Frederick proclaimed a "general expedition against the pagans" in accordance with the pope's instructions. He set the period of preparation as 17 April 1188 to 8 April 1189 and scheduled the army to assemble at [[Regensburg]] on [[Saint George's Day]] (23 April 1189). To prevent the crusade from degenerating into an undisciplined mob, participants were required to have at least three [[Mark (currency)|marks]], which was enough to be able support oneself for two years.{{sfn|Freed|2016|pp=472–473}}