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November 24. Baalbek. Sultan [as-Salih Isma'il] writes to Pope [Innocent IV], addressing him as celestial, holy, lordly, apostolic, venerable, honourable, dominating over the necks of the Franks, the leader of those harnessed to the Christian law, and enlivener of the Christian sect – may God prolong and protect his life – and referring to himself as the servant of God, the confessor of His grace, Ysmael, son of Ebibecre son of Iob. After giving the basics of Islam, the sultan relates that, when the pope's letter arrived he found that it contained things that the present letter does as well, directed toward things that are sufficiently common to the human race and for ruling the human species, and no wonder, given their source. The sultan also has the care for the protection of those who are with him, namely the Saracen flock, and for the defence of those who are in his special care, namely the Macometica people. So his mind is focused wholly on what is expedient for public peace and prosperity. Friars Preacher (Dominicans) came to the sultan, and he understood that they were capable, diligent, and concerned about the judgments of their law. They told the sultan what they were assigned to tell, and the sultan gave them his full attention and absorbed what they said. They returned with a message from the sultan for the pope that they are capable of repeating and explaining, after they had conversed directly with the sultan. The sultan relates all of this to the pope, asking God's assistance for their present and future prosperity, if it pleases Him.