In the Middle Ages, in Europe, “thousands of Egyptian mummies preserved in bitumen were ground up and sold as medicine”.[34] The practice developed into a wide-scale business which flourished until the late 16th century. This “fad” ended because the mummies were revealed to actually be recently killed slaves. Two centuries ago, mummies were still believed to have medicinal properties against bleeding, and were sold as pharmaceuticals in powdered form (see human mummy confection).

[From Cannibalism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]

No one was without a share in the grief. In the alleys, in the streets, in the temples, complaints, weeping, lamentations, grief, the groaning of men, the shrieks of women, wounds, rape, captivity, the separation of those most closely united. Nobles wandered about ignominiously, those of venerable age in tears, the rich in poverty. Thus it was in the streets, on the corners, in the temple, in the dens, for no place remained unassailed or defended the suppliants. All places everywhere were filled full of all kinds of crime. Oh, immortal God, how great the afflictions of the men, bow great the distress!

[From Medieval Sourcebook: Nicetas Choniates: The Sack of Constantinople (1204)]

He eventually embarked on the crusade the following year (1228), which was looked on by the Pope as a provocation, since the church could not take any part in the honor of the crusade, resulting in a second excommunication. By this time the crusading army had dwindled to a meagre force. Knowing that he could not take Jerusalem by force of arms, Frederick negotiated along the lines of a previous agreement he had intended to broker with the Egyptian sultan, Al-Kamil. The treaty resulted in the restitution of Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Bethlehem to the Kingdom, though there are disagreements as to the extent of the territory returned. The Ayyubid ruler of the region, who was nervous about possible war with his relatives who ruled Syria and Mesopotamia, wished to avoid further trouble from the Christians, at least until his domestic rivals were subdued.

[From Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]

With a return to Jerusalem, finally, in 1228. Where is Sir Guillame in the intervening years? Constantinople? Conspiring against the Venetians? Hunting down the Nicene exiles?

The first runic inscription was discovered in 1964 on a parapet on the top floor of the southern gallery, and the discovery was published by Elisabeth Svärdström in “Runorna i Hagia Sofia”, Fornvännen 65 (1970), 247-49. The inscription is worn down so only -alftan, which is the Norse name Halfdan, is legible. The remainder of the inscription is considered to be illegible, but it is possible that it followed the common formula “NN carved these runes”.

[From Runic inscriptions in Hagia Sophia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]

“NN carved these runes” being Norse for “NN was here”. We human beings are simple, simple creatures, aren’t we?