The Sultan advanced with his army and laid siege to the city for a time. He summoned (1) the fleet from Egypt, which sailed up by sea, so that he encircled it (2) on both land and sea. Then, on one of the nights, the Franks launched a raid against five shawānī—large galleys—from the Muslim (3) fleet (4), seized them and inflicted heavy damage (5). At daybreak the Muslims were downcast, filled with grief and regret; winter had set in, supplies were scarce, wounds were many, and all the emirs were worn out by the siege. They therefore asked the Sultan to withdraw with them to Damascus [at this time] (6) so that they might rest and [then] (7) return later. After some reluctance he finally consented (8)—even though most of the walls of Tyre had already been demolished and nothing remained but to enter and win the city [victory and success] (9).

He then set off (10) with them toward Damascus, passing on his way through Acre; the armies dispersed, [each heading to his own land and district, carrying a deep yearning for his family and homeland] (11).

As for the Sultan, when he reached Acre he took up residence in its citadel, lodged his son al-Afdal in the Templar Tower, and appointed ‘Izz al-Dīn Jurdīk (12) as its deputy governor. Some advisers urged the Sultan to demolish the city of Acre for fear that the Franks might return to it; he almost did so but refrained—would that he had! Instead, he entrusted its reconstruction and the renewal of its beauties to Bahā’ al-Dīn Qaraqush al-Taqawī, endowed half (13) of the Dār al-Isbitār to jurists and the poor, turned the bishop’s residence into a bīmāristān (14), and assigned generous, perpetual endowments to all of this. He placed its supervision (15) in the hands of the city’s qadi, Jamāl al-Dīn, son of Shaykh Abū al-Najīb, [whose judgment in all these matters was sound] (16).