Itissaid，thatprevioustoquittingEurope，theGermanEmperorhadcommencedanegotiationwiththeSultanCamhelfortherestorationoftheHolyLand，andthatCamhel，whowasjealousoftheambitionofhisbrotherCohreddin，waswillingtostipulatetothateffect，onconditionofbeingsecuredbyFredericinthepossessionofthemoreimportantterritoryofEgypt。ButbeforethecrusadersreachedPalestine，Camhelwasrelievedfromallfearsbythedeathofhisbrother。HeneverthelessdidnotthinkitworthwhiletocontestwiththecrusadersthebarrencorneroftheearthwhichhadalreadybeendyedwithsomuchChristianandSaracenblood，andproposedatruceofthreeyears，onlystipulating，inaddition，thattheMoslemsshouldbeallowedtoworshipfreelyintheTempleofJerusalem。ThishappyterminationdidnotsatisfythebigotedChristiansofPalestine。Thetolerancetheyfoughtforthemselves，theywerenotwillingtoextendtoothers，andtheycomplainedbitterlyoftheprivilegeoffreeworshipallowedtotheiropponents。Unmeritedgoodfortunehadmadetheminsolent，andtheycontestedtherightoftheEmperortobecomeapartytoanytreaty，aslongasheremainedundertheecclesiasticalban。Fredericwasdisgustedwithhisnewsubjects；but，astheTemplarsandHospitallersremainedtruetohim，hemarchedtoJerusalemtobecrowned。Allthechurcheswereshutagainsthim，andhecouldnotevenfindapriesttoofficiateathiscoronation。HehaddespisedthePapalauthoritytoolongtoquailatitnow，whenitwassounjustifiablyexerted，and，astherewasnobodytocrownhim，heverywiselycrownedhimself。Hetooktheroyaldiademfromthealtarwithhisownhands，andboldlyandproudlyplaceditonhisbrow。Noshoutsofanapplaudingpopulacemadethewelkinring，nohymnsofpraiseandtriumphresoundedfromtheministersofreligion；butathousandswordsstartedfromtheirscabbards，totestifythattheirownerswoulddefendthenewmonarchtothedeath。
ItwashardlytobeexpectedthathewouldrenounceforanylongperiodthedominionofhisnativelandfortheuneasycrownandbarrensoilofPalestine。Hehadseenquiteenoughofhisnewsubjectsbeforehewassixmonthsamongthem，andmoreimportantinterestscalledhimhome。JohnofBrienne，openlyleaguedwithPopeGregoryagainsthim，wasactuallyemployedinravaginghisterritoriesattheheadofapapalarmy。Thisintelligencedecidedhisreturn。Asapreliminarystep，hemadethosewhohadcontemnedhisauthorityfeel，totheirsorrow，thathewastheirmaster。Hethensetsail，loadedwiththecursesofPalestine。AndthusendedtheseventhCrusade，which，inspiteofeveryobstacleanddisadvantage，hadbeenproductiveofmorerealservicetotheHolyLandthananythathadgonebefore；aresultsolelyattributabletothebraveryofFredericandthegenerosityoftheSultanCamhel。
SoonaftertheEmperor’sdepartureanewclaimantstartedforthethroneofJerusalem，inthepersonofAlice，QueenofCyprus，andhalf-sisteroftheMarywho，byhermarriage，hadtransferredherrighttoJohnofBrienne。Thegrandmilitaryorders，however，clungtoFrederic，andAlicewasobligedtowithdraw。
SopeacefulaterminationtotheCrusadedidnotgiveunmixedpleasureinEurope。ThechivalryofFranceandEnglandwereunabletorest，andlongbeforetheconclusionofthetruce，werecollectingtheirarmiesforaneighthexpedition。InPalestine，also，thecontentmentwasfarfromuniversal。ManypettyMahomedanstatesintheimmediatevicinitywerenotpartiestothetruce，andharassedthefrontiertownsincessantly。TheTemplars，everturbulent，wagedbitterwarwiththeSultanofAleppo，andintheendwerealmostexterminated。SogreatwastheslaughteramongthemthatEuroperesoundedwiththesadstoryoftheirfate，andmanyanobleknighttookarmstopreventthetotaldestructionofanorderassociatedwithsomanyhighandinspiringremembrances。Camhel，seeingthepreparationsthatweremaking，thoughtthathisgenerosityhadbeensufficientlyshown，andtheverydaythetrucewasatanendassumedtheoffensive，andmarchingforwardtoJerusalemtookpossessionofit，afterroutingthescantyforcesoftheChristians。BeforethisintelligencereachedEuropealargebodyofcrusaderswasonthemarch，headedbytheKingofNavarre，theDukeofBurgundy，theCountdeBretagne，andotherleaders。Ontheirarrival，theylearnedthatJerusalemhadbeentaken，butthattheSultanwasdead，andhiskingdomtornbyrivalclaimantstothesupremepower。Thedissensionsoftheirfoesoughttohavemadethemunited，but，asinallpreviousCrusades，eachfeudalchiefwasmasterofhisownhost，andacteduponhisownresponsibility，andwithoutreferencetoanygeneralplan。Theconsequencewasthatnothingcouldbedone。Atemporaryadvantagewasgainedbyoneleader，whohadnomeansofimprovingit，whileanotherwasdefeated，withoutmeansofretrievinghimself。ThusthewarlingeredtillthebattleofGaza，whentheKingofNavarrewasdefeatedwithgreatloss，andcompelledtosavehimselffromtotaldestructionbyenteringintoahardandoppressivetreatywiththeEmirofKarac。
AtthiscrisisaidarrivedfromEngland，commandedbyRichardEarlofCornwall，thenamesakeofCoeurdeLion，andinheritorofhisvalour。Hisarmywasstrong，andfullofhope。Theyhadconfidenceinthemselvesandintheirleader，andlookedlikemenaccustomedtovictory。Theircomingchangedtheaspectofaffairs。ThenewSultanofEgyptwasatwarwiththeSultanofDamascus，andhadnotforcestoopposetwoenemiessopowerful。HethereforesentmessengerstomeettheEnglishEarl，offeringanexchangeofprisonersandthecompletecessionoftheHolyLand。Richard，whohadnotcometofightforthemeresakeoffighting，agreedatoncetotermssoadvantageous，andbecamethedelivererofPalestinewithoutstrikingablow。TheSultanofEgyptthenturnedhiswholeforceagainsthisMoslemenemies，andtheEarlofCornwallreturnedtoEurope。ThusendedtheeighthCrusade，themostbeneficialofall。ChristendomhadnofurtherpretenceforsendingherfierceleviestotheEast。Toallappearance，theholywarswereatanend:theChristianshadentirepossessionofJerusalem，Tripoli，Antioch，Edessa，Acre，Jaffa，and，infact，ofnearlyallJudea；and，couldtheyhavebeenatpeaceamongthemselves，theymighthaveovercome，withoutgreatdifficulty，thejealousyandhostilityoftheirneighhours。Acircumstance，asunforeseenasitwasdisastrous，blastedthisfairprospect，andreillumed，forthelasttime，thefervourandfuryoftheCrusades。