History: 6th-18th Centuries

• Called by Pope Innocent III with the objective of recapturing Jerusalem from Muslim control.
• This time the strategy was to weaken the enemy by first attacking Muslim-held cities in North Africa and Egypt, then controlled by the Ayyubid dynasty (1174-1250). The idea that Egypt would be an easier target than Jerusalem proved to be mistaken, and the campaign was not successful. 
• The Crusader army, although eventually conquering Damietta, was beset by leadership squabbles and a lack of sufficient men, equipment, and suitable ships to deal with the local geography. Defeated the Crusaders returned home, once again, with very little to show for their efforts.  

• The Sixth Crusade, commonly known as the Crusade of Frederick II was a military expedition to recapture the city of Jerusalem.
• It began seven years after the failure of the 5th Crusade and involved very little actual fighting. 
• The diplomatic maneuvering of the Holy Roman Emperor and King of Sicily, Frederick II, resulted in the Kingdom of Jerusalem regaining some control over Jerusalem for much of the ensuing fifteen years (1229–1239, 1241–1244) as well as over other areas of the Holy Land. 

• Led by Louis IX, a reaction to the loss of Jerusalem (1244) to the Muslims for the final time. 
• The crusade was aimed at Egypt, the main Muslim power in the area. 
• Battle of Mansura (8 February 1250): Louis was forced to order a retreat back to Damietta. 
• Through March 1250 his army retreated under pressure, until the Egyptians were ready to attack. 
• The Battle of Fariskur (6 April 1250), the Egyptians broke the French infantry, now representing the vast majority of the crusaders. 
• Louis was captured, and only released in May after agreeing to pay a 800,000 gold livre ransom. 

• The last major crusade aimed at the Holy Land, and a failure that well symbolizes the end of the crusades. 
• Louis IX of France decided to go back on crusade after nearly twenty years, but mislead by the idea that the Bey of Tunis could be converted to Christianity.
• However, once he arrived in Tunisia, it was clear that this was not the case, and he had to besiege Tunis. Louis then died in an epidemic, to be replaced by his brother Charles of Anjou, king of Sicily, and a reluctant crusader, who negotiated terms with the Bey, who paid tribute to him and France, after which the crusade ended. 
• The crusading era in the Holy Land ended in 1291, with the fall of Acre, the last crusader base in Palestine. 

• The 9th Crusade was a military expedition to the Holy Land under the command of the future King Edward I of Engand. It was an extension of the 8th Crusade and the last of the Crusades to reach the Holy Land before the fall of Acre in 1291, an end to the permanent crusader presence there.
• The Ninth Crusade saw several impressive victories for Edward over Baibars.
• Ultimately the Crusaders were forced to withdraw, since Edward had pressing concerns at home.
• It is arguable that the Crusading spirit was nearly "extinct" by this period as well. It also foreshadowed the imminent collapse of the last remaining crusader strongholds along the Mediterranean coast.

• FAITH ALONE:  
• Salvation is faith alone, NOT faith + works.
• Genuine faith produces works but works cannot produce saving faith. 

• SCRIPTURE ALONE:  
• Authority is in scripture alone, NOT scripture + tradition.
• The Catholic Church holds that they wrote the Bible so their interpretation and additions of scripture hold ultimate authority.   
• Protestants believe the Bible was given or delivered to the Church and has ultimate authority. 
• Private Interpretation: Every Christian has the right and the responsibility to read and interpret the scriptures responsibility. 
• Perspicuity: The scriptures are sufficiently plain and clear that a person of ordinary literate ability can read and understand them. 

• GRACE ALONE: 
• Salvation is given by God by His grace alone, NOT by grace + merit. 

• CHRIST ALONE: 
• Christ is the means and source of salvation, NOT Christ + the Church.  
• The Church held that it was through the Church that one could receive Christ, with sacraments only being able to be received by ordained clergy of the Church. 

• TO THE GLORY OF GOD ALONE
• Glory belongs to God alone, NOT God + Popes, Mary, Saints, or angels
•  The reformers believed that human beings, even saints canonized by the Roman Catholic Church, the popes, and the ecclesiastical hierarchy, are not worthy of the glory that was accorded them.
• One should not exalt such humans for their good works, but rather praise and give glory to God who is the author and sanctifier of these people and their good works.  

• Sources over Tradition 
• Scripture over tradition 
• Conscience over Authority 
  • Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the scriptures or by evident reason, … I cannot, and will not retract anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience.  I cannot do otherwise.  Here I stand.  May God help me.  Amen. (Martin Luther) 
• Productive over Slavish labor 

• The Scientific Revolution 
• The Industrial Revolution 
• Vast improvements to human living conditions 
• Universal over Elite Education 
  • “The Reformation 1st utilized the printing-press on a large scale, and gave a powerful impulse to common schools. The genius of Protestantism favors the general diffusion of knowledge. It elevates the laity, emancipates private judgement, and stimulates the sense of personal responsibility. Every man should be trained to a position of Christian freedom and self-government.” (Philip Schaff) 

As we look back at the beginning with the Apostles and Church Fathers in the first few centuries after Christ, they faced great persecution and extreme executions to pursue their God, their Savior, and to spread His message. We can see how that once great humble pursuit evolved into a very powerful domineering organization we called the Church. 

The reformers staked their life and lost their lives in pursuit of true righteousness through Christ alone, that message once preached by the Apostles themselves. As we look at the reformed (protestant) churches today start to portray that very thing they once fought against, money and lavish power, perhaps a new reformation might be due. 

One thing is certain, when Christ returns the churches will be purged and the true Church will emerge to truly worship the King of kings and Lord of lords as He intended, for all of eternity. Our pursuit now is to follow Him and His Word as complete as possible, and to lose this life for the one to come, True Salvation!