ABSTRACT
The Seventh Crusade followed the recapture of Jerusalem by the "Saracens", and was led by King Louis IX of France. In 1249, the army of the Seventh Crusade under King Louis IX of France, numbering tens of thousands of men, landed in Egypt and took the port city of Damietta from the "Saracens". The history of the Seventh Crusade was written by Jehan de Joinville, a friend of Louis who was also a participant, by Mathieu de Paris, and by many Muslim historians. Joinville labelled all Muslims Sarrasins, the French form of "Saracens", and described them as evil, mean, and murderous. In March 1250, the rigid and self-righteous King Louis IX finally realized his hopeless military position and tried to return to the port of Damietta, but on 6 April he was defeated and taken captive at the Battle of Fariskur, where his army was annihilated.
