Railways run from Beirut to Homs, Hamah, Aleppo and Damascus (French), and to the latter also from Haifa (Turkish).
In the and century, with the inland districts, it constituted a subdivision of the province of Syria, having Emesa (Homs)for its capital.
While still young, he went to visit Abu Tammam at Homs, and by him was commended to the authorities at Ma'arrat unNu`man, who gave him a pension of 4000 dirhems (about X90) yearly.
In 1249 he was recalled from the siege of Homs by the news of the invasion of Egypt by Louis IX.
He proceeded to take Hamah, Homs (Emesa) and other towns, and on the 20th of December started for Damascus.