Bahri dynasty

History of the Arab League member states

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 Cairo[1] at the castle of Al-Rodah which was built by the Ayyubid Sultan as-Salih Ayyub[2][3]

Contents

History

See also: Mamluk Sultanate (Cairo)

The Mamluks formed one of the most powerful and wealthiest empires of the time, lasting from 1250 to 1517. In 1250, when the Ayyubid sultan as-Salih Ayyub died, the Mamluks he had owned as slaves murdered his son and heir Turanshah, and Shajar al-Durr the widow of as-Salih became the Sultana of Egypt. She married the Atabeg (commander in chief) Emir Aybak and abdicated, Aybak becoming Sultan. He ruled from 1250 to 1257.[4][5] 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.

The Mamluks were powerful 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.[7][8] Baibars, one of the leaders at the battle, became the new Sultan after the assassination of Sultan Qutuz on the way home.[9][10]

In 1250 Baibars was one of the Mamluk commanders who defended Al Mansurah[11] against the Crusade knights of Louis IX of France, who was later definitely defeated, captured in Fariskur and ransomed.[12] 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.[15][16] He defeated the Mongols at the battle of Elbistan[17] 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.[18][19] In addition, he fought the Seljuks,[20] and Hashshashin; he also extended Muslim power into Nubia[16] 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,[21][22] and also defeated another Mongol invasion in 1281 that was led by Abaqa outside Homs.[23] After the Mongol threat passed he recaptured Tripoli from the Crusaders in 1289.[24] His son Khalil captured Acre, the last Crusader city, in 1291.[25][26]

The Mongols renewed their invasion in 1299,[27] but were again defeated in 1303.[28][29] The Egyptian Mamluk Sultans entered into relations with the Golden Horde who converted to Islam[30] and established a peace pact with the Mongols[31] 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.[32] Al-Nasir Muhammad organized the re-digging of a canal in 1311 which connected Alexandria with the Nile.[31] He died in 1341. The constant changes of sultans that followed led to great disorder in the provinces. Meanwhile, in 1349, during Al-Nasir Muhammad first reign, Egypt and the Levant in general were introduced to Black Death, which is said to have carried off many lives of the inhabitants.[33][34]

In 1382 the last Bahri Sultan Hajji II was dethroned and the Sultanate was taken over by the Circassian Emir Barquq. He was expelled in 1389 but returned to power in 1390, setting up the Burji dynasty.[35]

Military organization

On a general level, the military during the Bahri dynasty can be divided into several aspects

1.Mamluks : the core of both the political and military base, these slave soldiers were further divided into Khassaki (comparable to imperial guards), Royal Mamluks ( Mamluks directly under the command of the Sultan) and regular Mamluks (usually assigned to local Amirs).

2.Al-Halqa : the primarily free born professional forces, they are also directly under the sultan's command.

3.Wafidiyya : These are Turks and Mongols that migrated to the dynasty's border after the Mongol invasion, typically given land grants in exchange for military service, they are well regarded forces.

4.Other levies : Primarily Bedouin tribes, but also on different occasions also different groups of Turkomans and other settled Arabs.

List of Bahri Sultans

Titular Name(s) Personal Name Reign
al-Malikah Ismat ad-Din Umm-Khalil
الملکہ عصمہ الدین أم خلیل		 Shajar al-Durr
شجر الدر		 1250-1250
al-Malik al-Mu'izz Izz al-Din Aybak al-Jawshangir al-Turkmani al-Salihi
الملک المعز عز الدین أیبک الترکمانی الجاشنکیر الصالحی		 Izz-ad-Din Aybak
عز الدین أیبک		 1250– 1257
Sultan Al-Ashraf
سلطان الاشرف		 Muzaffar-ad-Din Musa
مظفر الدین موسی		 1250-1252
Sultan Al-Mansur
سلطان المنصور ‎		 Nur ad-Din Ali
نور الدین علی		 1257-1259
Sultan Al-Muzaffar
سلطان المظفر ‎		 Sayf ad-Din Qutuz
سیف الدین قطز		 1259-1260
Sultan Abul-Futuh - ‎سلطان ابو الفتوح
Al-Zahir - الظاہر
Al-Bunduqdari - البندقداری		 Rukn-ad-Din Baibars I
رکن الدین بیبرس		 1260-1277
Sultan Al-Sa'id Nasir-ad-Din
سلطان السعید ناصر الدین ‎		 ‏Muhammad Barakah Khan
محمد برکہ خان		 1277-1279
Sultan Al-Adil
سلطان العادل ‎		 Badr-al-Din Solamish
بدر الدین سُلامش		 1279
Al-Mansur - المنصور
Al-Alfi - الالفی
As-Salehi - الصالحی		 Sayf-ad-Din Qalawun
‎سیف الدین قلاوون		 1279-1290
Sultan Al-Ashraf
سلطان الاشرف		 Salah-ad-Din Khalil
صلاح الدین خلیل		 1290 – 1293
Al-Nasir
الناصر		 Nasir-ad-Din Muhammad
ناصر الدین محمد		 1293-1294
(first reign)
Al-Adil Al-Turki Al-Mughli
العادل الترکی المغلی		 Zayn-ad-Din Kitbugha
زین الدین کتبغا		 1294-1297
Al-Mansur
المنصور		 Husam-ad-Din Lachin
حسام الدین لاچین		 1297-1299
Al-Nasir
الناصر		 Nasir-ad-Din Muhammad
ناصر الدین محمد		 1299 - 1309
(Second reign)
Sultan Al-Muzaffar Al-Jashankir
سلطان المظفرالجاشنکیر ‎		 Rukn-ad-Din Baibars II
رکن الدین بیبرس		 1309
Al-Nasir
الناصر		 Nasir-ad-Din Muhammad
ناصر الدین محمد		 1309 - 1340
(Third reign)
Al-Mansur
المنصور		 Sayf-ad-Din Abu-Bakr
سیف الدین أبو بکر		 1340-1341
Al-Ashraf
الأشرف		 Ala-ad-Din Kujuk
علاء الدین کجک		 1341-1342
Sultan Al-Nasir
سلطان الناصر ‎		 Shihab-ad-Din Ahmad
شھاب الدین أحمد		 1342
Sultan As-Saleh
سلطان الصالح		 Imad-ad-Din Ismail
عماد الدین إسماعیل		 1342 – 1345
Sultan Al-Kamil
سلطان الکامل ‎		 Sayf-ad-Din Shaban I
سیف الدین شعبان اول		 1345 - 1346
Sultan Al-Muzaffar
سلطان المظفر ‎		 Sayf-ad-Din Hajji I
سیف الدین حاجی اول		 1346-1347
Al-Nasir Abu Al-Ma'ali
الناصر أبو المعالی		 Badr-ad-Din Al-Hasan
بدر الدین الحسن		 1347-1351 (first reign)
Sultan As-Saleh
سلطان الصالح		 Salah-ad-Din bin Muhammad
صلاح الدین بن محمد		 1351-1354
Al-Nasir Abu Al-Ma'ali Nasir-ad-Din
الناصر أبو المعالی ناصر الدین		 Badr-ad-Din Al-Hasan
بدر الدین الحسن		 1354 - 1361 (second reign)
Al-Mansur
المنصور		 Salah-ad-Din Muhammad
صلاح الدین محمد		 1361-1363
Al-Ashraf Abu Al-Ma'ali
الأشرف أبو المعالی		 Zayn-ad-Din Shaban II
زین الدین شعبان ثانی		 1363-1376
Al-Mansur
المنصور		 Ala-ad-Din Ali
علاء الدین علی		 1376 - 1382
Sultan As-Saleh
سلطان الصالح		 Salah-ad-Din Hajji II
صلاح الدین حاجی ثانی		 1382
Al-Zahir
الظاہر		 Sayf-ad-Din Barquq
سیف الدین برقوق		 1382 - 1389
Sultan As-Saleh Al-Muzaffar Al-Mansur
سلطان الصالح المظفر المنصور		 Salah-ad-Din Hajji II
صلاح الدین حاجی ثانی		 1389
Burji dynasty takes over Mamluk Sultanate (Cairo) under Sayf-ad-Din Barquq in 1389-90 C.E.


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). Throughout the Mamluk era, the Wafidiyya (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. ^ a b 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. ^ Abu Al-Fida, pp.66-87/ Year 697H.
  22. ^ 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 )
  23. ^ (Abu Al-Fida, pp.66-87/ Year 688H ) - (Shayyal, p. 165/vol.2 )
  24. ^ (Abu Al-Fida, pp.66-87/ 688HYear) - (Shayyal, 168/vol.2 )
  25. ^ Abu Al-Fida, pp.66-87/ Year 690H
  26. ^ See Al-Ashraf Khalil .
  27. ^ Abu Al-Fida, pp.66-87/ Year 699H
  28. ^ Abu Al-Fida, pp.66-87/ Year 702H
  29. ^ See Battle of Shaqhab
  30. ^ Sultan Baibars sent his first emissaries to Berke Khan the ruler of the Golden Horde in 1261. (Shayyal, p. 141/vol2)
  31. ^ a b Shayyal, p. 187/vol.2
  32. ^ Shayyal, pp. 187-188 /vol.2
  33. ^ Shayyal, p.194/vol.2
  34. ^ 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.)
  35. ^ Al-Maqrizi, pp.140-142/vol.5

See also

References