The Fifth Crusade is an attempt to take back Jerusalem and the rest of the Holy Land by first conquering the powerful Ayyubid state in Egypt.

Pope Honorius III organizes crusading armies led by Leopold VI of Austria and Andrew II of Hungary, and a foray against Jerusalem ultimately leaves the city in Muslim hands.

A German army led by the preacher Oliver of Cologne and a mixed army of Dutch, Flemish and Frisian soldiers led by William I, Count of Holland arrives later in 1218.

In order to attack Damietta in Egypt, they ally with the Seljuq Sultanate of Rûm in Anatolia, whose forces attack the Ayyubids in Syria in an attempt to free the crusaders from fighting on two fronts.

The crusaders, after occupying the port of Damietta, in July of 1221 march south towards Cairo, but are turned back after their dwindling supplies lead to a forced retreat.

A nighttime attack by Sultan Al-Kamil results in a great number of crusader losses and eventually in the surrender of the army.

Al-Kamil agrees to an eight-year peace agreement with Europe.