The Third Crusade — Intrigue at Home
The Third Crusade (1189–1192) was launched to recapture Jerusalem from Saladin. King Richard I 'the Lionheart' led the English contingent. But back in England, his absence created a power vacuum that Prince John eagerly exploited. Gerard de Camvill, husband of Nichola de la Haye (5th Baron of Brattleby), accompanied John to Nottingham to plot rebellion. When William Longchamp tried to seize Lincoln Castle, Nichola held it in a month-long siege. The Barony of Brattleby's connection to the Third Crusade was not in the Holy Land but in the political chaos it created at home — and in the extraordinary woman who navigated that chaos.
The Baron's Crusade
In 1240, Sir William II de Longespee, husband of Idoine de Camville (6th Baron of Brattleby), accompanied Richard, 1st Earl of Cornwall on the Baron's Crusade. This crusade was led not by kings but by barons — a coalition of European nobles who sought to exploit divisions among the Muslim powers in the Holy Land. The campaign achieved some diplomatic successes but no lasting military gains. For William, it was a formative experience — his first taste of warfare in the East, the exotic landscapes, the devastating heat, the alien customs. He returned to England hardened and experienced, ready for the greater challenges ahead.
The 7th Crusade — William's Final Campaign
In 1247, Sir William joined the 7th Crusade. This was not a casual commitment — William was driven by genuine religious fervour and military ambition. He travelled first to Rome, where he pleaded with Pope Innocent IV for support. He then raised a company of 200 English horsemen — a significant force — and was given command of all English troops in the Crusade. He joined King Louis IX of France in Egypt. The initial campaign was successful: the Crusaders captured the city of Damietta. But in February 1250, the advance on Cairo turned to disaster.
William commanded every English soldier in the 7th Crusade — a distinction that placed a Baron of Brattleby at the head of England's military effort in the Holy Land.
The Battle of Mansura — Death in Egypt
On 8 February 1250, Count Robert d'Artois (brother of King Louis) led a reckless charge into the city of Mansura without waiting for the main army. William and 280 Knights Templar were drawn into the trap. The narrow streets of Mansura became a killing ground. The Mamluks counterattacked from rooftops and side streets. William fought to the last. His body was recovered and he was mourned as a hero of Christendom. Jean de Joinville, the great chronicler of the Crusade, recorded the battle in vivid detail. The death of the husband of the 6th Baron of Brattleby alongside 280 Knights Templar is one of the most dramatic moments in the history of the Crusades.
280 Knights Templar died alongside William at Mansura — the single greatest loss the Templars suffered in a single engagement. The Baron of Brattleby was among them.