156 - THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS
The arrangement proved unworkable. It gave the
Moslems the opportunity to attack each army separately,
and another solution had to be found. This time the com-
promise was even more meaningless. The Templars and
the Hospitallers would march and fight with Frederick's
army, but the Emperor must not presume to command them
in his own name, for that was the name of an excommunicated
man. He must command in the name of God and Christen-
dom. Thus were the scruples of the two military Orders
satisfied, and the Temple and the Hospital, vowed to the
Church, served under the leader whom the Pope had laid
under the anathema.
Frederick believed that he would regain the Holy City
without much effort. El Kamel of Egypt was jealous of
his brother, Corradin, Prince of Damascus, and had promised
to cede Jerusalem in return for Frederick's aid against
Damascus. Since this agreement was reached, however,
Corradin had died and El Kamel withdrew from the
negotiations 5 but Frederick was sure that the negotiations
would be resumed and he waited patiently. At Jaffa, which
had been reached without difficulty, one of the Sultan's
nephews proposed to enter into an alliance with the Emperor
against El Kamel, and several other Moslem princes also
were anxious to attack the Sultan. El Kamel was afraid
that Frederick might support one of these rebels, and the
Emperor made the most of his advantage. After protracted
discussions, the Sultan was induced to surrender Nazareth,
Bethlehem, and Jaffa and all Jerusalem, with the exception
of the Temple and the Mosque of Omar. In return,
Frederick undertook not to attack Egypt for ten years and
to use his best endeavours to prevent any other monarch
from disturbing El Kamel's possessions. It was a remark-
able triumph for Frederick who, despite the opposition of
the Church, achieved more by this treaty of February 2Oth,
1229, than the Crusades of a century. "See how God's