ABSTRACT
Great was the danger in which Frederick1 left the Christians of the Holy Land in Jerusalem, for the city was completely open and unprotected. The Saracens had demolished all the fortifications, except the Tower of David, while the Christians were besieging Damietta2 as we told you earlier.3 Neither the emperor Frederick nor his deputy4 did anything to repair the city’s defences. The Saracens in neighbouring towns saw this clearly, and one morning crowds of villainous Saracens gathered and entered Jerusalem, intending to kill the Christians.5 The Christians defended themselves vigorously, killing more than 500 and losing only one man, an Englishman.
