00:00Did you know the most successful crusade in history was led by a man the Pope had already
00:04sent to hell? The year was 1229. Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, sailed to the Holy Land while
00:11officially excommunicated. The Church had condemned him. His own crusader allies wanted nothing to do
00:16with him, but Frederick didn't draw a sword. He sat down with Sultan al-Khamil of Egypt and simply
00:22talked. They negotiated for weeks, and when it was over, Frederick walked away with Jerusalem,
00:27Bethlehem, and Nazareth. No battle. No bloodshed. Just two rulers who respected each other enough to
00:34make a deal. His Muslim counterpart honored the agreement. His Christian allies were furious.
00:40When Frederick entered the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for the victory ceremony,
00:43not a single priest would participate. So he picked up the crown and placed it on his own head. The
00:49man
00:49the Church had condemned to hell had just peacefully reclaimed the holiest city in Christendom,
00:54and everyone on his own side hated him for it.
