In this year, the Latins gathered soldiers to retake Jerusalem from the Muslims. However, Allah Almighty prevented them from this by causing them to fight the Byzantines. As they were going to Jerusalem, they passed by Constantinople and saw that the emir and commanders there were in discord among themselves. Therefore, they besieged Constantinople and conquered it by force. For three days, they killed some of the Byzantines and took others captive. They burned more than a quarter of the city. During these three days, some Byzantines were killed, some became destitute, and others were chained and taken prisoner. Some took refuge in the Church of Hagia Sophia. The Latins also attacked the church. The monks came out before them holding Gospels and recited verses from the Gospel, pleading for pardon and mercy. However, the Latins paid no heed to their pleas. On the contrary, they killed them all. They took the icons in the church and countless gold-embroidered items, the ornaments on the crosses and walls. Praise be to Allah, who does as He wills, shows mercy, and forgives.
Then the Latin rulers drew lots among themselves to decide who would rule Constantinople. There were three rulers. One was the Doge of Venice, who was a blind old man. When he mounted his horse, others pulled the reins. The second was Marquis Francis, and the third was Count Baudouin. The lot was drawn three times. Each time, it fell to Count Baudouin, who was superior to the others in soldiers and equipment. The Latins made him emperor of Constantinople. The other two rulers took possession of some towns. The empire of Constantinople was taken from the Byzantines and passed into the hands of the Latins. This year, the dominion passed to the Latins and remained with them until the death of Count Baudouin. Then the Latins attacked the land of Damascus. Having possession of Constantinople, they had become stronger. They came to Acre and established a camp. They attacked most of the Muslim towns in the region of al-Ghūr and its surroundings. They killed some Muslims and took others captive. Malik ʿAdil, who was in Damascus, mobilized against them. He called the armies of Egypt and the eastern provinces for assistance. With the reinforcements, he went and camped near Acre. A fierce battle and a great siege took place between the Latins and them. Then the two sides made a truce and reconciled. Malik ʿAdil left some of those towns to the Latins. Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we shall return (al-Baqara 2:156).
In this year, many wars took place between the Khwarezmians and the Ghurids in the east, which would take too long to narrate here.
In this year, the governor of Mosul, Nur al-Din, fought with the governor of Sinjar, Kutb al-Din, and Saʿid Ashraf b. ʿAdil al-Kutub. Afterwards, they made peace. Ashraf married Nur al-Din's sister. The woman he married was Atabakiya bint Izz al-Din Masʿud b. Mawdud b. Zangī, who was the owner of the Atabakiya endowment at the foot of Mount Qasioun. Her tomb is also there.
In this year, a great earthquake occurred in Egypt, Damascus, Jazira, Cyprus, and other towns. Ibn al-ʿAsir mentioned this in his work al-Kamil.
In this year, a merchant named Mahmud b. Muhammad al-Humayrī invaded Hadramawt, Zifar, and some other towns. His dominion there lasted until the 620th year of the Hijra.
In the month of Jumada al-Awwal of this year, a council was held in Baghdad at the vizier's mansion for the chief judge Abu'l-Hasan ʿAli b. ʿAbdullah b. Sulayman al-Jili. During the session, it was established that he had taken bribes. Therefore, he was dismissed from office. He became a fasiq (sinner) and his turban was removed. He had served as a judge for two years and three months.
In this year, Malik Rukn al-Din b. Kilij Arslan died. He adhered to the creed of the philosophers. For those who adhered to this creed, he was a refuge. Before his death, he showed great boldness. He besieged his brother, who was the governor of Ankara. This siege lasted for years. Eventually, his brother became exhausted from lack of supplies and was forced to surrender the city. In return, he promised to give his brother some towns. As soon as he took the city, he had his brother and his brother's sons killed by trickery and treachery, but after that, he himself lived only five days. Allah afflicted him with a pain in the flank. He suffered this illness for seven days and nights and then died.
“Neither the heaven nor the earth wept for them, nor were they given respite.” (ad-Dukhān 44:29).
After his death, his son Iflah Arslan succeeded him. Iflah Arslan was young. He remained on the throne for one year. Then he was removed from power and his uncle Kaykhusraw ascended the throne.
In this year, many people from the Batmirs were killed in the city of Wasit.
Ibn al-ʿAsir said: In this year, in the month of Rajab, a group of Sufis gathered in the Baghdad khanqah for samāʿ. Jamal al-Hulli recited the following poem to them:
“O you who blame me, just wait a moment,
My age and the weight of my hair are enough to blame me.
I have seen a youth as if it never came.
I have undergone old age as if it will never leave me.
I complain about the beginning and end of the nights of union.
While listening to the ghazal, the lover’s complexion turns pale.
If my complaint turns to you,
May living be lawful for me and continue.
I do not care at all about what I have suffered.
I have no interest in wealth or family.”
The Sufis, as usual, began to move. Among them was one named Ahmad al-Razi, who entered a state of ecstasy, fainted, and fell to the ground. When they moved him, they saw that he was dead. According to Ibn Saʿi, he was a pious man and a friend of Shaykh al-Shuyukh Sadr ʿAbdurrahim. People attended his funeral and he was buried in the Bab al-Ibriz cemetery.