Dolf manages to operate the machine just in time before the guards can stop him, but in his haste, he accidentally enters the password instead of the destination date, and consequently travels to the year 1212.

The crusade is led by Nicolaas, a teenaged boy with visions, and an adult priest, Father Anselmus.

During the crusade, Dolf applies his modern-day knowledge to save the lives of many children, battling disease, kidnappers and hunger.

Outside Genoa, they finally succeed in making Nicolaas and the other children believe Dolf is an agent of the devil, who should be executed.

Dolf manages to escape his execution at the last moment with the help of Jenne and Carolus and finally uncovers Anselmus' plan to sell the children as slaves.

For American audiences, an extra scene was added in which Dolf has once again returned to the present, this time with Jenne.