This letter, borne to the prince by an officer from Egypt, who went with the envoy whom the prince had sent to Egypt asking for aid, allayed the suspicions of Nassir. Danger was imminent, Hulagu had just marched into Syria. Master of all lands between the Euphrates and Tigris, Hulagu laid siege to El Biret on the first of these rivers, and took it. In that citadel Saïd, the Eyubite prince, who had been nine years in prison, was freed by Hulagu and put in possession of Sebaibet and Banias. The Mongol then crossed the Euphrates by bridges of boats at Malattia, Kelat ur Rūm, El Biret, and Kirkissia; he sacked the city Mahuj, and left garrisons in El Biret, Nedjram, Joaber, Kallomkos, and Lash, having put to the sword their inhabitants. After that he marched with all his armed strength on Aleppo. The terror which preceded the Mongols drove multitudes of people from the city to seek shelter in Damascus, while still greater numbers were fleeing from Damascus to Egypt. The season was winter, many perished from cold on the journey, the majority had been robbed of their property, and to complete their distress and great wretchedness the plague was then raging throughout Syria and worst of all in Damascus. One Mongol division came now and camped near Aleppo, a part of it marched on the city from which the garrison sallied forth followed by volunteers from among the lowest people. These, finding the enemy superior in numbers, and resolute, returned through the gates very quickly. Next day the bulk of the Mongol division approached the walls closely. The chiefs of the garrison went out to the square where they counseled. Though Prince Moazzam Turan Shah, the governor, had forbidden attacks on an enemy so evidently superior, a part of the troops, and with them a crowd of common people, marched out to the mountain Bankussa which they occupied. Seeing Mongols advancing, some of those on the mountain hurried down to attack them. The Mongols turned to flee, the others pursued for the space of an hour and fell into an ambush. Those who escaped from the trap fled back toward Aleppo, pursued by the enemy. When abreast of Bankussa the people who had remained on the mountain rushed down toward the gates of the city, and a great number perished. That same day the Mongols appeared at Azay, a town somewhat north of Aleppo, and took it. In a few days Hulagu came and summoned Prince Moazzam, its governor, to surrender: “Thou canst not resist us,” said Hulagu. “Receive a commandant from us in the city, and one in the citadel. We are marching now to meet Nassir; should he be defeated the country will be ours, and Moslem blood will be spared by thee. If we are beaten thou canst expel our commandants, or kill them.” The Prince of Erzen ur Rūm bore this summons to which Moazzam answered: “There is nothing between thee and me but the sabre.”