A pathetic episode in the Crusades, growing out of simple faith and fanatical zeal for the recapture of Palestine from the Saracens. Some 50,000 children, mainly from France and Germany, are said to have taken part in the expedition which probably included poor adults. They believed they could conquer the Saracens by love, not force. About 30,000 reached Marseilles but were tricked by merchants and sold as slaves in North Africa. The rest were dispersed and many were sold as slaves in the east. Very few ever returned to their homes.