| Battle of Cairo | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Mamluk rebelsSupported by:
| Mamluk Sultanate | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Asandamur an-Nasiri (POW) | El-Ashraf Sha'ban Asanbugha Ibn al-Abu Bakri Qushtamur al-Mansuri | ||||||
The Battle of Cairo or Asandamur's rebellion was a clash that took place in late 1367 during the reign of the Mamluk sultan al-Ashraf Sha'ban and ended with the crushing of the rebellion against his rule. [1] [2] [3]
In late 1367, Emir Sayf al-Din Asandamur bin Abdullah an-Nasiri and his newly acquired mamluks moved against al-Ashraf Sha'ban. The revolt was also supported by Emir Khalil ibn Qawsun, the son of former regent Emir Qawsun (d. 1342). [1] Khalil had been promised the throne by Asandamur. [1]
According to a contemporary Mamluk chronicler, al-Nuwayri al-Iskandarani, al-Ashraf Sha'ban was significantly assisted by the "common people", who killed many of the mamluk rebels, "making them bite the dust". [4] The support of the commoners was enlisted by al-Ashraf Sha'ban's loyalist commanders, emirs Asanbugha Ibn al-Abu Bakri and Qushtamur al-Mansuri, both of whom withdrew from the battle in Cairo and left the commoners to fight Asandamur's forces alone. [3] The commoners were able to turn the tide in favor of al-Ashraf Sha'ban's partisans, and the latter's emirs and Royal Mamluks returned to the battle, defeated the rebels and arrested Asandamur. [2]
Because of their loyalty and key support during the revolt, al-Ashraf Sha'ban treated the commoners well throughout his reign. [2]
Al-Malik an-Nasir Nasir ad-Din Muhammad ibn Qalawun, commonly known as an-Nasir Muhammad, or by his kunya: Abu al-Ma'ali or as Ibn Qalawun (1285–1341) was the ninth Mamluk sultan of the Bahri dynasty who ruled Egypt between 1293–1294, 1299–1309, and 1310 until his death in 1341. During his first reign he was dominated by Kitbugha and al-Shuja‘i, while during his second reign he was dominated by Baibars and Salar. Not wanting to be dominated or deprived of his full rights as a sultan by his third reign, an-Nasir executed Baibars and accepted the resignation of Salar as vice Sultan.
Al-Malik Az-Zahir Sayf ad-Din Barquq was the first Sultan of the Circassian Mamluk Burji dynasty of Egypt ruling from 1382 to 1389 and 1390 to 1399. Born to a Christian father in Circassia, Barquq was enslaved and later arrived in Egypt. He deposed sultan al-Salih Hajji to claim the throne for himself. Once in power, he placed many of his family members in positions of power. Rebelling governors in 1389 restored Hajji to the throne but Barquq was able to reclaim the throne shortly after and ruled until his death in 1399 and was succeeded by his son. The name Barquq is of Circassian origin and is his birth name.
Abū al-Baqa Hamza Al-Qa'im was the thirteenth Abbasid caliph of Cairo for the Mamluk Sultanate between 1451 and 1455. He was deposed by Sultan Sayf ad-Din Inal after al-Qa'im supported a mutiny of mamluks against Inal.
Abu al-Mahasin Yusuf al-Mustanjid bi'llah was the fourteenth Abbasid caliph of Cairo for the Mamluk Sultanate between 1455 and 1479.
Kitbugha, royal name: al-Malik al-Adil Zayn-ad-Din Kitbugha Ben Abd-Allah al-Mansuri al-Turki al-Mughli; Arabic: الملك العادل زين الدين كتبغا بن عبد الله المنصورى التركى المغلى) was the 10th Mamluk sultan of Egypt from December 1294 to November 1296.
Al-Malik al-Mansur Sayf ad-Din Abu Bakr, better known as al-Mansur Abu Bakr, was a Bahri Mamluk Sultan of Egypt in 1341. From an early age, Abu Bakr received military training in the desert town of al-Karak. His father, Sultan an-Nasir Muhammad, groomed him as a potential successor to the throne and made him an emir in 1335. He was consistently promoted in the following years, becoming the na'ib (governor) of al-Karak in 1339. In June 1341, he became sultan, the first of several sons of an-Nasir Muhammad to accede to the throne. However, his reign was short-lived; in August, Abu Bakr was deposed and arrested by his father's senior emir, Qawsun. Abu Bakr was imprisoned in the Upper Egyptian city of Qus, along with many of his brothers, and executed on Qawsun's orders two months later. He was formally succeeded by his younger half-brother, al-Ashraf Kujuk, but Qawsun was left as the strongman of the sultanate.
The Mamluk Sultanate, also known as MamlukEgypt or the Mamluk Empire, was a state that ruled Egypt, the Levant and the Hejaz from the mid-13th to early 16th centuries. It was ruled by a military caste of mamluks headed by a sultan. The sultanate was established with the overthrow of the Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt in 1250 and was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1517. Mamluk history is generally divided into the Turkic or Bahri period (1250–1382) and the Circassian or Burji period (1382–1517), called after the predominant ethnicity or corps of the ruling Mamluks during these respective eras.
Al-Ashraf Zayn ad-Din Abu al-Ma'ali Sha'ban ibn Husayn ibn Muhammad ibn Qalawun (Arabic: الأشرف زين الدين شعبان, lit. 'The Most Noble, Grace of the Faith, Father of Excellence, Sha'ban son of Husayn, son of Muhammad, son of Qalawun', better known as al-Ashraf Sha'ban (السلطان شعبان or Sha'ban II, was a Mamluk sultan of the Bahri dynasty in 1363–1377. He was a grandson of Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad. He had two sons who succeeded him: al-Mansur Ali and as-Salih Hajji.
Sayf ad-Din Tankiz ibn Abdullah al-Husami an-Nasiri, better known simply as Tankiz, was the Damascus-based Turkic na'ib al-saltana (viceroy) of Syria from 1312 to 1340 during the reign of the Bahri Mamluk sultan an-Nasir Muhammad.
Husam ad-Din Muhanna ibn Isa was the Arab lord of Palmyra and amir al-ʿarab under the Mamluk Sultanate. He served between 1284 and his death, but was dismissed and reinstated four times during this period. As the chieftain of the Al Fadl, a clan of the Tayy tribe, which dominated the Syrian Desert, Muhanna wielded considerable influence among the Bedouin. He was described by historian Amalia Levanoni as "the eldest and most senior amir" of the Al Fadl during his era.
Al-Nasir Shihab ad-Din Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Qalawun, better known as al-Nasir Ahmad, was the Bahri Mamluk sultan of Egypt, ruling from January to June 1342. A son of Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad, he became embroiled in the volatile succession process following his father's death in 1341. Al-Nasir Ahmad lived much of his life in the desert fortress of al-Karak in Transjordan and was reluctant to assume the sultanate in Cairo, preferring al-Karak, where he was closely allied with the inhabitants of the city and the Bedouin tribes in its vicinity. His Syrian partisans, emirs Tashtamur and Qutlubugha al-Fakhri, successfully maneuvered to bring Syria under al-Nasir Ahmad's official control, while sympathetic emirs in Egypt were able to oust the Mamluk strongman Emir Qawsun and his puppet sultan, the five-year-old half-brother of al-Nasir Ahmad, al-Ashraf Kujuk. Al-Nasir Ahmad eventually assumed the sultanate after frequently delaying his departure to Egypt.
Al-Muzaffar Sayf ad-Din Hajji ibn Muhammad ibn Qalawun, better known as al-Muzaffar Hajji, was the Bahri Mamluk sultan of Egypt. He was also the sixth son of an-Nasir Muhammad to hold office, ruling from September 1346 and December 1347. He was known for his love of sports and pigeon racing, acts which led to frustration among the senior Mamluk emirs who believed he neglected the duties of office and spent extravagant sums on gambling. His reign ended when he was killed in a confrontation with Mamluk conspirators outside of Cairo.
Al-Nasir Badr ad-Din Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn Qalawun, better known as al-Nasir Hasan, was the Mamluk sultan of Egypt, and the seventh son of al-Nasir Muhammad to hold office, reigning twice in 1347–1351 and 1354–1361. During his first reign, which he began at age 12, senior Mamluk emirs formerly belonging to al-Nasir Muhammad, dominated his administration, while al-Nasir Hasan played a ceremonial role. He was toppled in 1351 when he attempted to assert executive authority to the chagrin of the senior emirs. He was reinstated three years later during a coup against his brother Sultan al-Salih Salih by emirs Shaykhu and Sirghitmish.
Sayf ad-Din Yalbugha ibn Abdullah al-Umari an-Nasiri al-Khassaki, better known as Yalbugha al-Umari or Yalbugha al-Khassaki, was a senior Mamluk emir during the Bahri period. Originally a mamluk of Sultan an-Nasir Hasan, he rose through the ranks as the senior emirs Shaykhu and Sirghitmish were eliminated, becoming the amir majlis, and achieving the highest military rank of amir mi'a muqaddam alf. Ties between Yalbugha and an-Nasir Hasan deteriorated and the former had the latter, his master, killed in a violent power struggle in 1361.
Sayf ad-Din Qawsun ibn Abdullah an-Nasiri as-Saqi, commonly known as Qawsun was a prominent Mamluk emir during the reigns of sultans an-Nasir Muhammad, al-Mansur Abu Bakr and al-Ashraf Kujuk.
As-Salih Salah ad-Din Salih ibn Muhammad ibn Qalawun (28 September 1337–1360/61, better known as as-Salih Salih, was the Mamluk sultan in 1351–1354. He was the eighth son of Sultan an-Nasir Muhammad to accede to the sultanate. He was largely a figurehead, with real power held by the senior Mamluk emirs, most prominently Emir Taz an-Nasiri.
Al-Mansur Ala' ad-Din Ali ibn Sha'ban ibn Husayn ibn Muhammad ibn Qalawun, better known as al-Mansur Ali II, was the Mamluk sultan reigning in 1377–1381. He was installed to the throne while a child by the senior Mamluk emirs after they had rebelled against and killed al-Mansur Ali's father, Sultan al-Ashraf Sha'ban. Al-Mansur Ali was a figurehead, with real power being held by the senior emirs, most prominently Barquq. Al-Mansur Ali died about four years into his reign and was succeeded by his younger brother, as-Salih Hajji, although real power was still held by Barquq, who usurped the throne in 1382.
Qutlubugha al-Fakhri was a Mamluk emir during the reigns of sultans an-Nasir Muhammad, al-Mansur Abu Bakr, al-Ashraf Kujuk and an-Nasir Ahmad. Qutlubugha had been purchased by an-Nasir Muhammad, who promoted him to the highest Mamluk military rank. He was demoted and exiled to Syria under the protection of Emir Tankiz in 1327 after an-Nasir Muhammad held him responsible for an incident which could have potentially caused a mutiny of Qutlubugha's mamluks against the sultan.
Shams al-Din Sunqur al-Ashqar al-Salihi was the Mamluk viceroy of Damascus in 1279–1280, who attempted to rule Syria independently, in a rebellion against the Egypt-based sultan Qalawun. While the rebellion in Damascus was quashed in 1280, Sunqur ensconced himself in the Sahyun Castle in the coastal mountains of northern Syria. He joined Qalawun in the successful defense of Syria against the Ilkhanid Mongols at the Battle of Homs in 1281. He remained in a state of peaceful relations with the sultan, despite ruling his coastal principality independently.
The Military of the Mamluk Sultanate, officially known as Al-Asakir al-Masria or Al-Askar al-Masri or Al-Jund al-Masri or Al-Asakir al-Mansoura, was the official armed forces of the Egyptian Mamluk Sultanate.