In this year, the king of France, the king of England, and the rulers of other overseas Crusader countries came to the aid of their co-religionist Crusaders besieging Acre (ʿAkkā). As will be explained in detail later, in this year they united to capture the city of ʿAkkā. At the beginning of this year, the city was subjected to a fierce siege from both sides. When the enemy forces fully entered the city, Malik ʿAdil Abū Bakr had pitched his tent on the sea side. He was waiting for the complete entry of the enemy soldiers and provisions into the city. On the first night of the beginning of the month of Rabīʿ al-Awwal, the Muslims sallied forth from ʿAkkā and attacked the Crusader camp. They killed a great number of them. They took many prisoners and spoils. They captured twelve women prisoners. A large Crusader ship was broken and shattered; some of the soldiers inside drowned, and the rest were taken captive. The governor of Ḥimṣ, Asad al-Dīn b. Shirkūh, attacked the Crusader herds in the lands of Tripoli and drove away many horses, cattle, and sheep. The Turks also captured and killed many Crusader soldiers. Among the Muslims, no one died except a small slave whose horse stumbled and caused him to fall.
On the twelfth of Rabīʿ al-Awwal, the king of France arrived with sixty cursed ships full of idolaters to the Crusaders besieging ʿAkkā. When the king of France arrived, the other Crusader kings present lost all respect. Their words and authority no longer prevailed because, in their eyes, the king of France was greater and more magnificent than all of them. He had brought with him a large falcon of a pale color. The falcon flew from his hand and perched on the walls of ʿAkkā. The people of ʿAkkā caught it and sent it to Sultan Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn. The king of France said he would pay 1,000 dinars for the return of the falcon, but the sultan did not accept this offer. After the king of France came Qayd Farīr, who was also one of the great and leading rulers of the Crusaders. Then the ships of the king of England also arrived. The king himself could not come because he was trying to capture the island of Cyprus. On the other hand, at the beginning of the spring season, the rulers of the Islamic lands also came to ʿAkkā to serve Sultan Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn.
The scribe ʿImād said: "There were also thieves among the Muslims. They used to go to the Crusaders' tents and steal their belongings, even people. One day, one of these thieves stole a three-month-old baby from a cradle and brought it to the Islamic camp. The baby's mother was very distressed by the theft of her child and went to complain to her rulers. They said to her, 'The sultan of the Muslims is a kind-hearted and merciful man. We have permitted you. Go and tell your problem to him.' The woman came to Sultan Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn and explained her problem. The sultan felt so much pity that his eyes filled with tears. Then he ordered that the child be found and brought back. The child had been sold in the market. He wrote a letter to pay the price to the buyer from the Bayt al-Māl. He stood waiting until the child was brought. Finally, the child was brought and handed over to the mother. She breastfed him for a while. She was crying from excessive joy and longing for her child. Then Sultan Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn ordered that she be mounted on a horse and taken with honor and generosity to her tent in the Crusader camp. May Allah have mercy on Sultan Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn and forgive his sins."