At the head of his vassals Louis marched against
the rebels, and was so prompt and energetic in his measures that the
count was forced to yield and sue for pardon in the attitude of a
criminal, with a rope round his neck. Henry III. crossed the channel
with an army to support the rebellion, and recover, if possible, the
possessions which King John had surrendered to King Philip. The armies
met at Saintes, in 1242, where the French were victorious, the rebels
subsequently submitting, and Henry returning home.

In 1244 Louis had a severe illness, which was attended with danger to
his life. During the progress of it, he vowed to undertake a new crusade
should he recover. The fulfilment of this vow was opposed by Blanche of
Castile (who still had great influence over her son) and many of his
best counsellors; but Louis was inflexible where religion and honor
demanded a sacrifice.

In 1248 he collected a large army, and prepared to start by way of
Sicily, the nearest route to Palestine, when he remembered that the
island belonged to Frederick II., of Germany, who was under
excommunication by the Pope. All attempts to shake the decision of
Innocent IV. failed; and yielding to the pious weakness of fearing to
rest in an excommunicant's territory, Louis changed his plans, and
determined to pass by way of Cyprus and Egypt--a route which proved the
ruin of the expedition. He committed the regency of France to his
mother, assumed the staff of pilgrimage, and accompanied by his wife and
brothers, left Paris on June 12, 1248. He stayed for several months in
Cyprus, until his armament amounted to 50,000 men, and then sailed for
Egypt.

Arrived at the port of Damietta, he caused the oriflamme (the national
standard of France) to be waved above his head; and, arrayed in complete
armor, he unsheathed his sword, and leaped into the sea, followed by the
knights. The inhabitants fled, and the French took possession of the
city. The inundation of the Nile prevented their further movements for
several months. Licentiousness and disease were fostered by this delay,
in spite of the king's remonstrances; and their unopposed success made
the Crusaders careless as to the tactics of the enemy.

On the subsidence of the Nile, Louis fortified Damietta, and left his
queen and her ladies there, while he, with the main army, advanced on
Cairo, the metropolis of Egypt, where the sultan resided. Near
Mansourah, the Crusaders became perplexed by the