2502

June 4. Cairo. Sultan [as-Ṣāliḥ Najm ad-Dīn Ayyūb] writes to Pope [Innocent IV], addressing him as noble, great, spiritual, kind, holy, the thirteenth apostle, the universal voice of the Christians, supporter of those who worship the cross, the judge of the Christian people, the leader of the sons of baptism, and highest pontiff of the Christians – let God strengthen him and grant him happiness – and referring to himself as the most powerful sultan, ruler over the necks of the nations, holding the two powers of the sword and the pen, possessing the two pre-eminences of doctrine and judgment, the king of two seas, dominator of the South and North, king of Egypt, Syria, Mesopotamia, Media, Ydumea, and Ophir, King Salech Belfet Ayob, son of Sultan Heimel Helmevaffar Mehamed son of Sultan King Hadel Bobecre son of Ayob, whose kingdom God loves. The sultan relates that he was presented the pope's letter, which he read carefully and understood the chapters that were inserted in them and was pleased by their content. The sultan had the nuncio whom the pope sent to him received with honour, love, devotion, and reverence and he summoned him to his presence, hearing his words and showing the nuncio the sultan's faith in Christ, may salvation be upon him. Concerning this Christ the sultan knows more than the pope and praises him more than the pope does. Concerning the pope's desire for tranquillity and quiet and for calling the peoples to peace, this the sultan also desires and always has. But the pope – let God strengthen him – knows that between the sultan and the emperor there has long been friendship, mutual love, and perfect concord since the time of the sultan's father, and the pope knows his own relationship with the emperor. Thus the sultan cannot settle with the Christians without first having the emperor's advice and consent on these matters. The sultan has written to his nuncio, who is at the emperor's court, concerning the matters that the pope's nuncio conveyed, announcing to him the chapters and proposals of the pope's nuncio. The sultan's nuncio will come to the pope's presence and speak with him and then inform the sultan. Afterwards, the sultan will respond accordingly, and he will not diverge from what seems useful for everyone, so he can have merit with God.