Battle of Fariskur

Date: February 8, 1250 • Location: Fāraskūr, Egypt

Seventh Crusade: The Ayyubid Sultanate of Egypt defeated and captured King Louis IX of France at the Battle of Fariskur.

The Seventh Crusade (1248–1254) was the first of the two crusades led by Louis IX of France. Also known as the Crusade of Louis IX to the Holy Land, it aimed to reclaim the Holy Land by attacking the Ayyubid Sultanate, the main Islamic power in the Near East. The crusade was conducted in response to setbacks in the Kingdom of Jerusalem, beginning with the loss of the Holy City in 1244, and was preached by Pope Innocent IV in conjunction with a crusade against Emperor Frederick II, Baltic rebellions and Mongol incursions. After initial success, the crusade ended in defeat, with most of the army – including the king – captured by the Egyptians.