Then came the year 692 AH.

In the chronicle of Ẓahīr al-Dīn al-Kazarunī (1) it is recorded that (2) a fire appeared in the land of the Prophet’s City, Medina, during this year, resembling in every respect the blaze of 654 AH, except that on this occasion the flames rose far higher (3). It melted rock yet did not burn the palm fronds, and it lasted for three days.

The year opened with the Abbasid caliph al-Ḥākim in office, the ruler of the realm being al-Malik al-Ashraf ibn al-Manṣūr, his deputy in Egypt Badr al-Dīn Baydara, and in Syria ʿIzz al-Dīn Aibak al-Ḥamawī. The judges of Egypt and Syria were the same as in the preceding year, and the vizier was Shams al-Dīn ibn al-Salaʿūs (4).

In Jumādā al-Ākhirah al-Ashraf arrived in Damascus and lodged in the Qasr al-Ablaq and the Green Parade Ground. He mustered the armies and made ready to invade the land of Sis, but in the meantime (5) envoys from the ruler of Sis arrived seeking peace. The amirs interceded on their behalf (6), and Sis surrendered Behesna (7), Tall Ḥamdūn (8) and Marʿash (9) — the largest, finest and strongest of their cities — situated at the mouth of the Darband pass (10).

On the second of Rajab the sultan rode toward Salamiyyah with most of the army, giving the impression that he intended to seize Emir Ḥusām al-Dīn Lājīn. Emir Muhannā ibn ʿĪsā hosted him, and once the hospitality had ended, he arrested Ḥusām al-Dīn Lājīn, who was with him, brought him to the sultan, and the latter imprisoned him in the Citadel of Damascus. He also detained Muhannā ibn ʿĪsā and appointed Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī ibn Ḥudhayfah (11) in his place. Afterwards the sultan dispatched the bulk of the army ahead of him to Egypt, accompanied by his deputy Baydara and his vizier Ibn al-Salaʿūs; he himself lingered with his personal guard and then caught up with them.