In the previous article, I recounted the beginning of Al-ZahirBaybars’ reign (658–676 AH / 1260–1277 AD), who had once been a mamluk (slave soldier) belonging to Al-Bunduqdari, until he was taken by Sultan Al-SalihNajm al-Din Ayyub.
After the assassination of Emir Faris al-Din Aktai, Baybars fled to the Levant (Bilad al-Sham) to Al-Malik Al-Nasir Salah al-Din Yusuf, and then moved to Al-Karak, where he stayed with Al-Malik Al-Mu’ayyad, before returning to the Levant again. In the year 658 AH (1260 AD), Baybars sent a message to Sultan Qutuz, requesting to return to Egypt.
Baybars led the vanguard of the Egyptian army in the battle against the Mongols. After their victory over the Mongols, Baybars conspired with several emirs to assassinate Qutuz—and they succeeded. Baybars then became Sultan of Egypt and sent letters to the rulers of other lands announcing his assumption of power. Upon his entry into Cairo, Al-Maqrizi describes the events, saying:
“Cairo had been decorated to welcome the victorious King Qutuz, and the people were rejoicing in the defeat of the Tatars. But when morning came, the herald called out to the people: ‘Pray for mercy upon the victorious king, and supplicate for your Sultan, Al-Malik Al-QahirRukn al-Din Baybars.’ Then, by the end of the day, he ordered that prayers be offered for Al-Malik Al-Zahir. This saddened the people, who feared the return of the Bahri Mamluk rule and the injustices of their governance.”Baybars initially titled himself Al-Malik Al-Qahir (The Conquering King), but later changed it to Al-Malik Al-Zahir (The Manifest King) upon the advice of his vizier Zayn al-Din Ya’qubibn al-Zubayr, who suggested the change as the title “Al-Qahir” had brought misfortune to those who previously bore it.
Many historians noted that after Baybars assumed power, he began to win over the emirs by distributing official positions to those he trusted. He also pardoned several prisoners. IbnTaghribirdi mentions:
“Then he released those imprisoned for various crimes … and ordered the release of the imprisoned soldiers, granting them favor … He also expelled Al-Malik Al-Mansur Nur al-Din Ali, the son of Al-Malik Al-Mu’izz Aybak Al-Turkmani, along with his mother and his brother Nasir al-Din Qafan, from Egypt to the land of the Ashkari (the Byzantines), as they had been held in the Citadel of the MountainQal’at al-Jabal.
In his effort to win public support, Baybars also abolished the taxes imposed by Qutuz. Al-Maqrizi records:
“Qutuz had introduced many new impositions during his campaign against the Tatars. These included appraising private properties and collecting their zakat from their owners, taking one dinar from every person throughout the entire region of Egypt, and collecting a third of the Turkish properties. Al-Malik Al-Zahir abolished all that Qutuz had introduced and issued an official decree to that effect.”
Baybars faced several oppositional movements to his rule, which he successfully suppressed. Among these was the rebellion of Alam al-Din Sanjar, the Sultan’s deputy in Damascus, who rejected Baybars’ ascension to power without consulting the emirs. Sanjar declared himself ruler of Damascus and rejected Baybars’ letters and envoys urging him to change his stance. In response, Baybars dispatched a military campaign to suppress Sanjar’s rebellion. The campaign was successful, and Alam al-Din Sanjar was captured, brought to Cairo, and imprisoned in the Citadel. Baybars later pardoned him.Baybars also faced an internal revolt led by a Shiite man named Al-Kurani, whose followers launched an uprising in 658 AH (1260 AD). Baybars crushed the revolt, captured its leaders, and had them all hanged at Bab Zuweila.He also suppressed the movement of Husn al-Din ibnTha’lab, which opposed the rule of the Mamluks.
During that period, the Mongols managed to invade Aleppo, killing many of its inhabitants while others fled. The Mongols then advanced toward Hama, but were unsuccessful in capturing it, and so they turned to Homs. There, a battle broke out between the Mongols and the combined forces of the rulers of Hama, Homs, and soldiers from Aleppo. The Mongols suffered a major defeat and retreated back to Aleppo, where they committed further atrocities against its people.In response, Al-ZahirBaybars mobilized the army to confront the Mongols and succeeded in retaking Aleppo from them.
And the talk about Beautiful Egypt… is far from over!
General Bishop
President of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
