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March 1. Acre. Frater Thomas de ordine Praedicatorum, bishop of Bethlehem (Bethlehemitanus episcopus), in partibus cismarinis apostolice sedis legatus, addresses a general letter to all prelates of the church and secular nobles in Christendom. He describes the perils facing the Holy Land. After the Mongols (Tartari), subjugated Baghdad (Baldach), they occupied Aleppo (Halapia) and the sultans of Ruispie and Camella, and the lords of Hamhac and Amon, and many others, including all the cities of the Saracens (Sarraceni), subjected themselves. The sultan of Damascus has fled to Egypt for assistance. Many Saracens (Sarraceni) have fled with their families and goods to the coast, seeking refuge with the Christians or in Egypt. Their plight as refugees is graphically described. The prince of Antioch has subjected his principality, which, together with the territory of Tripoli has suffered from a terrible earthquake, to the Mongols. Only the [garrisons of the] cities of Acre and Tyre and the castles of the Knights Templar and the brothers of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem and the Hospital of St Mary of the Germans, are working day and night in their preparations to resist. Blasphemous letters have been sent by the king of the Mongols, threatening conquest.