743

Jan. 14. Antioch. A[malric], per Dei gratiam Hierosolymorum Rex, informs King Louis VII of France that while he was invading Egypt and, strengthened by the relic of the True Cross, was expelling Syracuinus [Shirkuh] from the country, the count of Tripoli and the prince of Antioch, who with a large army had marched to free the castellum of Harenc, near Antioch, which Nur ad-Din was besieging, were captured. They had overreached themselves by assaulting the enemy in a strong position and their troops were either taken or killed. And Panudium, which is popularly called Belinas, was betrayed to Nur ad-Din. Amalric begs for assistance.