Page:Christianity in China, Tartary, and Thibet Volume I.djvu/284

272 272 CHRISTIANITY IN CHINA, ETC. council-general at Rome, to consider what measures could be taken to protect Christendom from the ferocious hordes that menaced it. The sovereign pontiff renewed his exhortations, and endeavoured to arouse the Christian princes, not only against the Mongols of Persia and Syria, but also against those who were marching upon Hungary in consequence of the refusal by King Bela of their offers of alliance — a refusal that had been suggested by the Pope. The most remote countries of Europe had to furnish a contingent of men and money; and envoys came in 1262, to announce to the Pope that Norway had all in readiness. When he dismissed them, Urban IV. gave them letters to the archbishop, and also to the Bishops of Bergen, the Orcades, and Stavanger, to urge them not to relax their efforts, since the succours that were looked for from them became e~very day more necessary. While these preparations were going on, however, events were taking place that rendered them useless, or at least changed their object ; for the Tartars were now flying before the Egyptians. The Queen of Aleppo had strengthened the forces of the Couttouz Sultan of Egypt, who had now no longer anything to dread from his Syrian rival, and finding his power so much in- creased, resolved on endeavouring to drive out the Tartars. He advanced therefore to Acre, where he en- tered into a treaty with the Christians, and after having given three days to the refreshment of his army, entered Galilee, where Kitou-Boga was encamped, in the plain of Tiberias, near a place called the Fountain of Goliath. He surprised the camp, and after several engagements, defeated and killed Kitou-Boga, with several thousands of his Tartars, — carried off his children as prisoners, —