Bahri Mamluks edit
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History of the Arab States
Arab Caliphate 
Mashriq Dynasties 
Maghrib Dynasties 

The Bahri dynasty or Bahriyya Mamluks (al-Mamalik al-Bahariyya المماليك البحرية ) was a Mamluk dynasty of mostly Kipchak Turkic origin that ruled Egypt from 1250 to 1382 when they were succeeded by the Burji dynasty, another group of Mamluks. Their name means 'of the sea', referring to the location of their original residence on Al-Rodah Island in the Nile (Bahr al-Nil) in Cairo1 at the castle of Al-Rodah which was built by the Ayyubid Sultan as-Salih Ayyub23

Contents

History

Bahri Mamluks in its greatest extent, blue indicates the Ilkhanates.

The Mamluks formed by chance the most powerful and wealthiest empire of the time that lasted for more than 250 years from 1250 to 1517. In 1250, when the Ayyubid sultan as-Salih Ayyub died, the Mamluks who were owned by him murdered his son and heir Turanshah, and Shajar al-Durr the widow of as-Salih became the Sultana of Egypt then she married the Atabeg (commander in chief) Emir Aybak and abdicated and Aybak became the Sultan (ruled 1250 - 1257).45 The Mamluks consolidated their power in ten years and eventually established the Bahri dynasty. They were helped by the Mongols' sack of Baghdad in 1258, which effectively destroyed the Abbasid caliphate. Cairo became more prominent as a result and remained a Mamluk capital thereafter.

A Mamluk cavalryman.

The Mamluks were power cavalry warriors mixing the practices of the Turkic steppe peoples from which they were drawn and the organizational and technological sophistication of the Egyptians and Arabs. In 1260 the Mamluks defeated a Mongol army at the Battle of Ain Jalut in modern-day Israel and eventually forced the invaders to retreat to the area of modern-day Iraq.6 The defeat of the Mongols at the hands of the Mamluks enhanced the position of the Mamluks in the southern Mediterranean basin.78 Baibars, one of the leaders at the battle, became the new Sultan after the assassination of Sultan Qutuz on the way home.910

In 1250 Baibars was one of the Mamluk commanders who defended Al Mansurah11 against the Crusade knights of Louis IX of France, who was later definitely defeated, captured in Fariskur and ransomed12 . Baibars had also taken part in the Mamluk takeover of Egypt. In 1261 , after he became a Sultan, he established a puppet Abbasid caliphate in Cairo,13 and the Mamluks fought the remnants of the Crusader states in Palestine until they finally captured Acre in 1291.14 Many Tatars settled in Egypt and were employed by Baibars.1516 He defeated the Mongols at the battle of Elbistan17 and sent the Abbasid Caliph with only 250 men to attempted to retake Baghdad, but was unsuccessful. In 1266 he devastated Cilician Armenia and in 1268 he recaptured Antioch from the Crusaders.1819 In addition, he fought the Seljuks,20 and Hashshashin; he also extended Muslim power into Nubia21 for the first time, before his death in 1277.

Sultan Qalawun defeated a rebellion in Syria that was led by Sunqur al-Ashqar in 1280,2223 and also defeated another Mongol invasion in 1281 that was led by Abaqa outside Homs.24 After the Mongol threat passed he recaptured Tripoli from the Crusaders in 1289.25 His son Khalil captured Acre, the last Crusader city, in 1291.2627

Golden Horde's Domains in 1389

The Mongols renewed their invasion in 1299,28 but were again defeated in 1303.2930 The Egyptian Mamluk Sultans entered into relations with the Golden Horde who converted to Islam31 and established a peace pact with the Mongols32 in 1322. Sultan Al-Nasir Muhammad married a Mongol princess in 1319. His diplomatic relations were more extensive than those of any previous Sultan, and included Bulgarian, Indian, and Abyssinian potentates, as well as the pope, the king of Aragon and the king of France.33 Al-Nasir Muhammad organized the re-digging of a canal in 1311 which connected Alexandria with the Nile.34 He died in 1341, and the constant changes of sultan that followed led to great disorder in the provinces; meanwhile, in 1349 , during Al-Nasir Muhammad first reign, Egypt and the Levant were visited by the Black Death, which is said to have carried off many lives of the inhabitants.3536

In 1382 the last Bahri Sultan al-Salih Salah Zein al-Din Hajji was dethroned and the Sultanate was taken over by the Circassian Emir Barquq; Barquq was proclaimed a sultan, ending the Bahri dynasty. He was expelled in 1389 but returned to power in 1390, setting up the Burji dynasty.37

List of Bahri Sultans

Notes

  1. ^ There is another theory about the origin of the name which states that they were called 'Bahariyya' because they came by sea or from over sea. (Shayyal, 110/vol.2 )
  2. ^ (Al-Maqrizi, p. 441/vol.1 ) - (Abu Al-Fida, pp.66-87/ Year 647H - Death of as-Sailih Ayyub) - (Ibn Taghri/vol.6 - Year 639H )
  3. ^ After the Castle of al- Rodah was built, As-Salih moved with his Mamluks to it and lived there. (Al-Maqrizi, p.405/vol. 1 ). Later, the Mamluk Sultans lived at the Citadel of the Mountain which was situated on the Muqatam Mountain in Cairo (Al-Maqrizi, al-Mawaiz, p. 327/vol.3 ) where the Mosque of Muhammed Ali and the remains of the Citadel (known now by the name Saladin's Citadel) stand now.
  4. ^ (Al-Maqrizi pp. 444-494. vol/1 ) (Abu Al-Fida, pp.66-87/ Years 647H - 655H ) (Ibn Taghri/vol.6 - Year 646H )
  5. ^ See also Shajar al-Durr and Aybak .
  6. ^ Abu Al-Fida, pp.66-87/ Taking of Aleppo's Castle by the Mongols and new events in the Levant.
  7. ^ Shayyal, p. 123/vol.2
  8. ^ The victory of the Mamluks against the Mongols brought an end to the Ayyubid's claim in Egypt and the Levant . Ayyubid Emirs recognized the Mamluk Sultan as their sovereign. (Shayyal, p.126/vol.2 )
  9. ^ (Al-Maqrizi, p.519/vol.1 ) - (Ibn Taghri/ vol.7 )
  10. ^ Qutuz was assassinated near al-Salihiyah, Egypt. Those murdered him were emir Badr ad-Din Baktut, emir Ons and emir Bahadir al-Mu'izzi. (Al-Maqrizi, p. 519/vol.1 )
  11. ^ See Battle of Al Mansurah .
  12. ^ See Battle of Fariskur
  13. ^ Sultan Baibars recognized the Sovereignty of Abu al-Qasim Ahmad as the Abbasid Caliph in Cairo only in religious matters after a few Bedouins witnessed before the supreme judge of Egypt that he was the son of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Zahir Billah. The Caliph took the name al-Mustansir Billah. (Shayyal, p. 132/vol.2 ) - (Ibn Taghri/ vol.7 ) - (Abu Al-Fida, pp.66-87/ Murder of al-Malik al-Nasir Yusuf) . Though the Abbasid Caliphs in Cairo during the Mamluk era legitimated the sovereignty of the Mamluks' Sultans, the Caliphs were actually powerless. However, contrary to the Ayyubids who were to some degree dependent on the Abbasid Chaliph in Baghdad, the fact that the Chaliph lived in Cairo gave the Mamluks independency and full freedom of action.
  14. ^ See al-Ashraf Khalil
  15. ^ In 1262 , during the reign of Sultan Baibars many Tartars from the Golden Horde tribe escaped from Hulagu to Egypt and were followed later by other Tartars. Baibars welcomed the Tartars and employed them in the army. They had their own army unit which was called al-Firqah al-Wafidiyah (the arrivals unite). Through out the Mamluk era, the Wafidiyah (Arriving Tartars) were free men and Mamluk system did not apply on them. Baibars resided the Tartars in Cairo and gave them various official posts. The Largest group of Tartars immigrated to Egypt in 1296 during the reign of Sultan Kitbugha who was himself of Mongol origin. They resided at the district of al-Hisiniyah in Cairo and many of their women married Mamluk Emirs. (Shayyal, p.144/vol.2 )
  16. ^ Ibn Taghri/ vol.7
  17. ^ (Abu Al-Fida, pp.66-87/Year 675H- Al-Malik Al-Zahir entering land of the Roum) - (Ibn Taghri/ vol.7 )
  18. ^ (Abu Al-Fida, pp.66-87/ Soldiers entering the land of the Armenians) - (Ibn Taghri/ vol.7 )
  19. ^ Cilician Armenia was devastated by Sultan Baibars's commander Qalawun upon the Battle of Mari in 1266. The Principality of Antioch was destroyed by Sultan Baibars in 1268.
  20. ^ Baibars defeated both the Seljuks and the Mongols at the battle of Elbistan . (Shayyal, p.138/vol.2)
  21. ^ Ibn Taghri/ vol.7
  22. ^ Abu Al-Fida, pp.66-87/ Year 697H.
  23. ^ Shams ad-Din Sunqur al-Ashqar, was a prominent Emir and one of the most devoted Bahri Emirs since days of Sultan Baibars. He was taken prisoner by the Armenians and was freed in exchange for Leo the son of King Hethum I who was captured during the invasion of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia in 1266. During the reign of Baibars' son Solamish he was the deputy of the Sultan in Damascus. During the reign of Qalawun he proclaimed himself a Sultan while in Damascus, taking the royal name al-Malik al-Kamil. He fought a few battles against Qalawun's Emirs but was pardoned later after he joined Qalawun's army against the Mongols. (Al-Maqrizi, p.51, 121, 127, 131-133, 145/vol.2 )
  24. ^ (Abu Al-Fida, pp.66-87/ Year 688H ) - (Shayyal, p. 165/vol.2 )
  25. ^ (Abu Al-Fida, pp.66-87/ 688HYear) - (Shayyal, 168/vol.2 )
  26. ^ Abu Al-Fida, pp.66-87/ Year 690H
  27. ^ See Al-Ashraf Khalil .
  28. ^ Abu Al-Fida, pp.66-87/ Year 699H
  29. ^ Abu Al-Fida, pp.66-87/ Year 702H
  30. ^ See Battle of Shaqhab
  31. ^ Sultan Baibars sent his first emissaries to Berke Khan the ruler of the Golden Horde in 1261. (Shayyal, p. 141/vol2)
  32. ^ Shayyal, p.187/vol.2
  33. ^ Shayyal, pp. 187-188 /vol.2
  34. ^ Shayyal, p.187/vol.2
  35. ^ Shayyal, p.194/vol.2
  36. ^ The Black Death probably began in Central Asia and spread to Europe by the late 1340s. The total number of deaths worldwide from the pandemic is estimated at 75 million people; there were an estimated 25-50 million deaths in Europe. - (Wikipedia / Article Black Death.)
  37. ^ Al-Maqrizi, pp.140-142/vol.5

See also

References