Editing 1239 (section)

==== Levant ====
* [[September 1]] &ndash; [[Barons' Crusade]]: A Crusader force (some 1,500 knights) under King [[Theobald I of Navarre]] arrives at [[Acre, Israel|Acre]]. At a council of local barons – most prominently [[Walter IV, Count of Brienne|Walter of Brienne]], [[Odo of Montbéliard]], [[Balian of Beirut]], [[John of Arsuf]], and [[Balian Grenier|Balian of Sidon]] – plans are made to prepare an expedition against the [[Ayyubid dynasty|Ayyubids]] in [[Egypt in the Middle Ages|Egypt]]. Later, Theobald is joined by some Crusaders from [[Kingdom of Cyprus|Cyprus]].<ref>Painter, Sidney (1969). ''The Crusade of Theobald of Champagne and Richard of Cornwall, 1239–1241'', p. 472. Robert Lee Wolff; Harry W. Hazard (eds.). ''A History of the Crusades, Volume II: The Later Crusades, 1189–1311'', pp. 463–86. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press.</ref>
* [[November 2]] &ndash; An expeditionary force (some 4,000 knights) under Theobald I sets out from Acre for the Egyptian frontier, detachments from the military orders and several local barons accompany the Crusaders. While marching to [[Jaffa]], a Crusader column led by [[Peter I, Duke of Brittany|Peter of Brittany]] and his lieutenant [[Raoul de Soissons]] with two hundred knights, lays an ambush and attacks a rich Muslim caravan.<ref>[[Steven Runciman]] (1952). ''A History of The Crusades. Vol III: The Kingdom of Acre'', p. 179. {{ISBN|978-0-241-29877-0}}.</ref>
* [[November 12]] &ndash; Sultan [[as-Salih Ayyub]] sends an Ayyubid army to [[Gaza City|Gaza]] to protect the Egyptian border. At nightfall, [[Henry II, Count of Bar|Henry of Bar]], jealous of the successful ambush of Peter of Brittany, decides to march out towards Gaza with a Crusader force (some 500 knights and 1,000 soldiers). Although warned by Theobald I, Henry sets up camp in a flat terrain surrounded by sand dunes near Gaza.<ref>Lower, Michael (2005). ''The Barons' Crusade: A Call to Arms and Its Consequences'', pp. 168–71. University of Pennsylvania Press. {{ISBN|0-8122-3873-7}}.</ref>
* [[November 13]] &ndash; [[Battle at Gaza (1239)|Battle of Gaza]]: The Crusader army led by Henry of Bar is defeated by the Egyptians near Gaza. More than a thousand men are slaughtered, including Henry himself. Six hundred more are captured and carried off to Egypt. Among them are [[Amaury de Montfort (died 1241)|Amaury VI de Montfort]] and [[Philippe de Nanteuil]] – who, in the dungeons of [[Cairo]], writes a [[Crusade song]] about the failure of the expedition.<ref>Steven Runciman (1952). ''A History of The Crusades. Vol III: The Kingdom of Acre'', p. 180. {{ISBN|978-0-241-29877-0}}.</ref>
* [[December 7]] &ndash; Ayyubid forces under [[An-Nasir Dawud]] march on [[Jerusalem]], which is largely undefended. The garrison of the city surrenders to Dawud, after accepting his offer for a safe-conduct to Acre. Dawud destroys Jerusalem's fortifications, including the [[Tower of David]]. Meanwhile, Theobald I (losing many men underway) moves with the remnants of the Crusader army northward to Acre.<ref>Lower, Michael (2005). ''The Barons' Crusade: A Call to Arms and Its Consequences'', p. 171. University of Pennsylvania Press. {{ISBN|0-8122-3873-7}}.</ref>