 In 1269 , the English Prince Edward ( the future Edward I ) , inspired by tales of his great @-@ uncle , Richard the Lionheart , and the second crusade of the French King Louis , started on a crusade of his own , the Ninth Crusade . The number of knights and retainers that accompanied Edward on the crusade was quite small , possibly around 230 knights , with a total complement of approximately 1 @,@ 000 people , transported in a flotilla of 13 ships . Edward understood the value of an alliance with the Mongols , and upon his arrival in Acre on May 9 , 1271 , he immediately sent an embassy to the Mongol ruler Abaqa , requesting assistance . Abaqa answered positively to Edward 's request , asking him to coordinate his activities with his general <unk> , whom he sent on an offensive against the Mamluks with 10 @,@ 000 Mongols to join Edward 's army . But Edward was able only to engage in some fairly ineffectual raids that did not actually achieve success in gaining new territory . For example , when he engaged in a raid into the Plain of Sharon , he proved unable to even take the small Mamluk fortress of Qaqun . However , Edward 's military operations , limited though they were , were still of assistance in persuading the Mamluk leader Baibars to agree to a 10 @-@ year truce between the city of Acre and the Mamluks , signed in 1272 . Edward 's efforts were described by historian Reuven Amitai as " the nearest thing to real Mongol @-@ Frankish military coordination that was ever to be achieved , by Edward or any other Frankish leader . " 
