State document: T-S 16.114 + T-S 24.57 + T-S AS 11.383 + T-S AS 146.195

... of the purity of his heart and the nobility (literally: cleanness) of his disposition [  ]

and his impetuonsness for the defence of Islam and the Muslims [  ]

the territory and the religion. His steadfastness and his sacrifice of money and treasures,

arms and equipment, men and children.

May God, the exalted, cause victory to be at hand and [ ] with his banners and his arrows

in the strengthening of his religion. The humiliation of his enemy is his heart's desire.

Fortune is determined by his commands and decrees.

Bearers of good tidings continually come to the mighty presence of al-'Afdal.

Congratulations for the renewal of conquest, with victory hastening back.

This report of the slave is sent by him on Wednesday

[ ] the agreement on the decision

[to ] the fortress, to besiege it and beleaguer it, to position each division

of the victorious soldiers at a (different) part of the fighting and split the battle

in separate islands so that their noble qualities be used to their best effect,

to draw up the excellent cavalry along all the roads,

to take up position upon them and guard, and to display alertness and watchfulness

at night and act according to what caution dictates.

The slave visited each division of the victorious soldiers, both their cavalry and their infantry,

and spoke to them persuasively, incited them, strengthened their spirits

and promised them all-embracing kindnesses and favourable treatment.

They set off with the bird of good fortune fluttering above them and the sigus of victory

and success clear among them. The slave saw their joy and he was himselfdelighted

and joyful. They spent Monday night

near to the aforementioned fortress and made an assault on it early on Tuesday morning. There were watchmen in it

[  ] , it was the plague which is epidemical among the accursed Franks.