and some thirty thousand foot soldiers during the last ten days of Shaʿbān. The Sultan advanced against them with the valiant lords who were with him, and they fought a tremendous battle on the Plain of Acre. A party of Muslims was routed at the beginning of the day, but the counter-attack (1) at its close fell upon the Franks, and the end is for those who fear Allah. About two hundred Muslims were killed, whereas among the Franks (2) the slain (3) were more than seven thousand. When this engagement (4) was finished, the Sultan moved from his first position to a pleasant spot (5) far from the stench of the dead, fearing pestilence and harm so that the cavalry and their mounts might rest (6). He did not realize that this was one of the greatest advantages (7) to the vanquished enemy, for they seized the opportunity (8) and dug a trench around their camp—encircling their entire army from sea to sea (9)—heaping the earth into a lofty rampart and placing gates in it through which they could sally whenever they wished. They thus settled firmly in the place they had chosen, while the situation slipped from the Muslims’ hands (10), the calamity grew weightier, the malady became chronic, and the affair worsened still further—a trial and test from Allah (11). The Sultan’s view had been that they should renew the fight promptly after the counter-attack and not leave the Franks until the sea breeze (12) turned fair and reinforcements came rushing from every quarter. The emirs, however, pled fatigue (13) and weariness, each belittling the Franks’ affair and unaware of what destiny had decreed. So the Sultan sent to all the kings, summoning and seeking their support; he wrote urgently to the Caliph (14) and dispatched letters everywhere urging and exhorting. Reinforcements reached him in companies and singly (15). He also sent to Egypt for his brother al-ʿĀdil—who soon arrived (16)—and pressed for the fleet; it reached him with fifty (17) vessels at sea under the command of Emir Husām.