Francis and the crusades
Chapel 14 shows the participation of Francis in the Fifth Crusade (1213-21). Yet, the Saint is not armed, he just attempts to use his words to convert the Sultan of Egypt to Christianity.
The sultan listens interested to what Francis has to say, but does not convert. Admiring Francis’ courage and fervour, he offers him a tray of gold coins, which he refuses.
This chapel is the last one built on the Sacro Monte, in the second half of the eighteenth century. The building reflects a different attitude from the other chapels. Francis is no longer represented as an ideal model of orthodoxy, as during Counter-Reformation. On the contrary, it shows a certain interest in the exotic country of Egypt, which is the central theme of the scene.