 A few other historians argue there was an actual alliance , but do not agree on the details : Jean Richard wrote that an alliance began around 1263 . Reuven Amitai stated that the closest thing to actual Mongol @-@ Frankish military coordination was when Prince Edward of England attempted to coordinate activities with Abaga in 1271 . Amitai also mentioned the other attempts towards cooperation , but said , " In none of these episodes , however , can we speak of Mongols and troops from the Frankish West being on the Syrian mainland at the same time . " Timothy May described the alliance as having its peak at the Council of Lyon in 1274 , but that it began to unravel in 1275 with the death of Bohemond , and May too admitted that the forces never engaged in joint operations . Alain Demurger , in his own book The Last Templar , said that an alliance was not sealed until 1300 . 
