Honorius, << hoh NAWR ee uhs, >> III (?-1227), was elected pope in 1216. After his election, he carried out the plans of Innocent III, the previous pope, for the Fifth Crusade to the Holy Land. He encouraged the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II to participate in the expedition, but because of weak leadership and Frederick’s absence, the crusade failed (see Crusades ). Honorius was unable to convince Frederick to lead another crusade. In 1218, Honorius began a crusade against the Muslim Moors in Spain. He also continued the crusade started by Innocent III against the Albigenses, a group of heretics in southern France.
Honorius approved the Dominican religious order in 1216 and the rule (program of life) for the Franciscan order in 1223, and he encouraged the missionary activities of both orders. In 1226, Honorius ordered the first official compilation of canon (church) law. Honorius was born in Rome. His given name was Cencio. He died on March 18, 1227.
