are also scattered here and there, fortifying near their castles. Because they cannot leave the stronghold unprotected, the common counsel of the land has strongly dissuaded us from attacking or fighting those evildoers without greater support. It was not safe to fight against such a great and powerful multitude with only a few, especially since shortly after their initial arrival, another host of the same people came, along with those who were not there, as mentioned earlier, but fewer in number. As it is certainly reported, they had, besides others, common men, their wives, and families, along with more than twenty-one thousand equipped horsemen. Therefore, it was decided by common deliberation to call upon the Sultans of Damascus and Homs in support of the Christians. These sultans are bound by truce and alliance with the Christians and have a deep-seated enmity against the Khwarezmians. The said Sultans, when repeatedly asked, promised that they would come to the aid of the Christians with all their forces. But the arrival of these forces, which had been anticipated daily, was unexpectedly delayed, and without their men, it was dangerous for the Christians to engage in a conflict with the Khwaresmians. Meanwhile, the people dwelling in Jerusalem, surrounded by enemies on various sides, tormented within by hunger and without by the sword, were distressed by numerous terrors and perils. We believed that they were gathering an army day by day for their relief. But the treacherous Khwarezmians, invading with a large multitude, entered Jerusalem on Monday, the eleventh day of July. The Christians who were present there, seeking refuge in the hospitals and the churches of Jerusalem, which are adjacent, defended themselves with wooden fortifications and stone bulwarks, on that day, with the mercy of Jesus Christ favouring them, achieved victory over the oft-mentioned and most wicked men, killing many of them. Since they could not, however, achieve their goal, they left in confusion and by violence took possession of the Church of Saint James of the Armenians in the same city. And they rashly slew many Armenians found in that church, including priests, clerics, and laymen, beheading the imperial castellan and the preceptor of the Hospital of Saint John, who had bravely gone out to fight against them. But they were driven out of the city that day and returned to the encampments they had made near the city. The aforementioned people of Jerusalem, who were enduring great distress, urgently requested assistance from us, sending letters and messengers to us and other Christians on numerous occasions. But since they could not be helped in any way with the assistance requested, as the nearby areas were surrounded by enemies from all sides, access to the city was not possible without the Khwarezmians’ army. With great compassion, we shared in their suffering, and our hearts were filled with bitterness at their afflictions. But, earnestly focusing on their aid, we collectively deliberated to send a message to the Sultan of Nazareth, who had recently entered into a truce with some Christians, so that with his assistance, the aforementioned people would receive safe conduct as far as the land of Christians. We therefore sent formal messengers with our letters to the aforementioned Sultan, and we gave them instructions that, upon hearing his response, Brother Simon of the Order of Preachers would approach Jerusalem with his escort, comforting the Christian people, and he would convey to them the Sultan’s response, consider the state of the land and the people, and report everything to us. And so, with the aforementioned messengers approaching the said Sultan regarding the agreement, and with them diligently inquiring about the aforementioned escort, the said Sultan replied in Jerusalem that he would willingly provide the escort, but he could not do so without the consent of the Khwarezmians. But he firmly promised to send solemn messengers to the Khwarezmians, whom he would persuade through prayers and gifts, as he reported,