CHAP. XXXIV.
THE SULTAN OF EGYPT AND SARACENS DETERMINE TO CONQUER THE WHOLE KINGDOM OF CYPRUS.
WHEN the Saracens, whom we have before mentioned, left Cyprus, they waited on the Sultan, and, as a sign of their victory, carried with them the head and spurs of the knight whom they had slain with a lance. They proclaimed throughout the town of Cairo that it was the head of the brother to the king of Cyprus, Henry prince of Galilee,—but in this they lied.
Nevertheless, the sultan and his courtiers were so much puffed up with this victory, that they resolved to raise so large an army as should destroy the whole kingdom of Cyprus. There was at this time in the town of Damascus a great, powerful and rich Saracen, who was considered throughout Syria as a saint: he was much reverenced by the sultan, although a cordial friend to the king of Cyprus.
When this holy man heard of the destruction which the six saracen gallies had done in Cyprus, he went to Cairo, and reproved and blamed the sultan for having thus commenced a war, insomuch that the sultan repented of what he had done, and consented that a peace should be made. To accomplish this purpose the holy Saracen determined to send his son to Cyprus to treat thereof; but, on his arrival in the island, the king would not admit him to his presence, but sent his ministers to inquire into his business. He would not explain the cause of his coming to them, but said, if he could have a personal interview with the king, he would engage that an honourable peace should be made with the sultan. The ministers of the king of Cyprus remonstrated with him on the folly of the sultan in beginning the war, because he would have all Christendom against him. The Saracen replied, that the sultan was perfectly well informed of the state of Christendom; that the king of France, his most mortal enemy, had now so much on his hands that he no way feared him.
After this conversation, he returned to his father in Damascus, and related to him the reception he had met with in Cyprus, and that the king would not even see or hear him. The holy man was so much exasperated against the king of Cyprus, that he became, ever after, his most mortal enemy, and was continually urging the sultan to make war on Cyprus, declaring there could be no doubt but that he would be victorious over his enemies.