Shajar al-Durr

Shajar al-Durr (Arabic: شجر الدر, "Strings of Pearls") [ Shajar al-Durr's name also spelled and pronounced as "Shajarat al-Durr". Her coins carried the name Shajarat al-Durr. See under Coins of Shajar al-Durr. ] [ As the letter' G ج ' is pronounced as ' J ' in Arabic and as ' G ' in Egyptian, her name is also pronounced as Shagar al-Durr .] ("Royal name": al-Malikah Ismat ad-Din Umm-Khalil Shajar al-Durr (Arabic: الملكة عصمة الدين أم خليل شجر الدر) (Nickname : Umm Khalil) [ Umm Khalil ( أم خليل ) also Walidat Khalil ( والدة خليل ) mean mother of Khalil. Khalil was her dead son from Sultan as-Salih Ayyub. The names were used by Shajar al-Durr to legitimate and consolidate her position as an heir and ruler. She signed the official documents and Sultanic decrees with the name 'Walidat Khalil' - (Abu Al-Fida, pp.66-87/Year 648H) - (Al-Maqrizi,p.459/vol.1). ] (d. 1257, Cairo) was the widow of the Ayyubid Sultan as-Salih Ayyub who played a crucial role after his death during the Seventh Crusade against Egypt (1249-1250). She was regarded by Muslim historians and chroniclers of the Mamluk time as being of Turkic origin. [ Al-Maqrizi, Ibn Taghri and Abu Al-Fida regarded Shajar al-Durr as Turkic. Al-Maqrizi and Abu Al-Fida, however, mentioned that some believed she was of Armenian origin. (Al-Maqrizi, p. 459/vol.1) - (Ibn Taghri,p.102-273/vol.6)- (Abu Al-Fida, pp.68-87/Year 655H). ] She became the Sultana of Egypt on May 2, 1250, marking the end of the Ayyubid reign and the starting of the Mamluk era. [ Some historians regard Shajar al-Durr as the first of the Mamluk Sultans. - (Shayyal, p.115/vol.2) ] [ Al-Maqrizi described Shajar al-Durr as the first of the Mamluk Sultans of Turkic origin. " This woman, Shajar al-Durr, was the first of the Turkish Mamluk Kings who ruled Egypt " - (Al-Maqrizi, p.459/ vol.1) ] [ Ibn Iyas regarded Shajar al-Durr as an Ayyubid. - (Ibn Iyas, p.89) ] [ According to J. D. Fage " it is difficult to decide whether this queen (Shajar al-Durr) was the last of the Ayyubids or the first of the Mamluks as she was connected with both the vanishing and the oncoming dynasty". Fage, p.37]

Background

Shajar al-Durr was purchased as a bondmaid by as-Salih Ayyub. [ Al-Maqrizi, p.459/vol.1 ] in the Levant before he became a Sultan and accompanied him with his Mamluk Baibars at Al Karak during his detention in 1239. [ Al-Maqrizi, p.419/vol.1 ] [ ( Abu Al-Fida, p.68-87/Year 655H ) ( Ibn Taghri, pp.102-273/vol.6 ) ] [Shayyal, p.116/vol.2] [ in 1239, before he became a Sultan, and during his conflict with his brother al-Malik al-Adil, as-Salih Ayyub was captive in Nablus and detained in castle of Al Karak. He was accompanied by a Mamluk named Rukn ad-Din Baibars and Shajar al-Durr and their son Khalil. (Al-Maqrizi, p.397-398/vol.1 ) ] Later when he became a Sultan in 1240 she went with him to Egypt and delivered their son Khalil who was called al-Malik al-Mansour [ ( Al-Maqrizi's events of the year 638H ( 1240 C.E.) - p.405/vol.1. ) - ( Al-Maqrizi, p.404/vol.1 ) ] [Ibn Taghri, pp.102-273/vol.6 ] . She was of Turkic origin [ See note 3 and 5. ] [Ahmed, Nazeer. "Islam in Global History: From the Death of Prophet Muhammed to the First". Xlibris Corporation, 2001. [http://books.google.com/books?id=VjcEAAAACAAJ&dq=Islam+in+Global+History:+From+the+Death+of+Prophet+Muhammed+to+the+First&hl=tr "page 287"] ] [Fage, J. D. & Oliver, Roland Anthony. "The Cambridge History of Africa". Cambridge University Press, 1986. [http://books.google.com/books?id=sMlC0ulVz_oC&pg=PA37&dq=%22Shajar+al-Durr%22%2Bturkish&sig=OwLk47q79H50lKy6dOriycfR7F8 "page 37"] ] [Meri 2006, [http://books.google.com/books?id=LaV-IGZ8VKIC&pg=PA729&dq=shajar+al-durr+turkish&hl=tr&sig=x_ddcDkIJKMCCRzz_kibdJYZDZ4 p. 729] ] and was described by the historians as a beautiful, pious and intelligent woman. [Ibn Taghri, pp.102-273/vol.6 ]

On April 1249, as-Salih Ayyub, the Ayyubid Sultan and husband of Shajar al-Durr [ as-Salih Ayyub, after the birth of his son Khalil, married Shajar al-Durr. (Al-Maqrizi, pp.397-398/vol.1/ note 1. )] who was gravely sick in Syria, returned to Egypt and stayed in Ashmum-Tanah, near Damietta [ Al-Maqrizi, p. 437/vol.1] [ As as-Salih Ayyub due to his serious disease was unable to ride a horse, he was carried to Egypt on a stretcher. (Shayyal,p.95/vol.2) - (Al-Maqrizi, p.437/vol.1) ] after he heard that King Louis IX of France has assembled a crusade army in Cyprus and was about to launch an attack against Egypt. [ It was believed that Frederick II, the King of Sicily informed as-Salih Ayyub about Louis's plan. (Shayyal, p.95/vol.2) ] On June 1249, the crusaders landed in the abandoned town of Damietta, [ The Egyptian garrison of Damietta led by emir Fakhr ad-Din left the town and went to Ashmum-Tanah and were followed by its population before the landing of the crusade troops. (Al-Maqrizi, pp.438-439/vol.1) - (Abu Al-Fida,pp.66-87/ Year 647H) - Probably Fakhr ad-Din withdrew from Damietta because he thought the Sultan has died as he was not receiving messages from him for some time. (Shayyal, p.97/vol.2)] [ Also the crusade chronicler Lord of Joinville mentioned that Damiette was abandoned: " The Saracens thrice sent word to the Sultan by carrier-pigeons that the King had landed, without getting any answer, for the Sultan was in his sickness; so they concluded that the Sultan must be dead, and abandoned Damietta. " and " The Turks made a blunder in leaving Damietta, without cutting the bridge of boats, which would have put us to great inconvenience." ( Lord of Joinville, parg. 72./Cha.VI/part II ) ] at the mouth of the Nile river. as-Salih Ayyub was carried on a stretcher to his palace in the better protected town of Al Mansurah where he died on November 22, 1249 after he ruled Egypt about 10 years and amid one of the most earnest situations in the history of Egypt. [ (Al-Maqrizi, pp.439-441/vol.2) - (Abu Al-Fida, p.68-87/Year 647H) - (Shayyal, p.98/vol.2) ] Shajar al-Durr informed Emir Fakhr ad-Din Yussuf Ben Shaykh (commander of all the Egyptian army) and Tawashi Jamal ad-Din Muhsin (the chief eunuch who controlled the palace) of the Sultan's death but as the country was under the attack of the crusaders they decided to conceal his death. [ Al-Maqrizi, p.444/vol.1 ] The coffined body of the Sultan was transported by boat in secret to the castle of al-Rudah island in the Nile [ (Al-Maqrizi, p.441/vol.1) - (Shayyal,p.98/vol.2) ] [ Castle of al-Rudah ( Qal'at al-Rudah ) was built by as-Salih Ayyub on the island of al-Rudah in Cairo. It was used as an abode for his Mamluks.(Al-Maqrizi,p.443/vol1). Later, Sultan Aybak buried as-Salih Ayyub in the tomb which was built by as-Salih before his death near his Madrasah in the district of Bain al-Qasrain in Cairo. (Al-Maqrizi, p. 441/vol.1) - See also Aybak . ] and, despite the deceased Sultan did not make testimony concerning who should succeed him after his death, [( Abu Al-Fida, p.68-87/Death of as-Salih Ayyub) ] Faris ad-Din Aktai was sent to Hasankeyf to call al-Muazzam Turanshah who was the son of the deceased Sultan. [ Al-Maqrizi, p.445/vol.1 ] [ Al-Muazzam Turanshah was the deputy of his Father ( the Sultan ) in Hasankeyf.(Ibn taghri, pp. 102-273/vol.6/year 646) ] Before he died, the Sultan signed thousands of blank papers [ According to Al-Maqrizi, Sultan as-Salih Ayyub made 10.000 Alama ( Sultan's sign ) before his death. (Al-Maqrizi, p.441/vol.1) ] which were used by Shajar al-Durr and Emir Fakhr ad-Din in issuing decrees and giving Sultanic orders [ According to Abu Al-Fida and Al-Maqrizi, Shajar al-Durr used also a servant named Sohail in faking the Sultanic documents. ( Abu Al-Fida, p.68-87/Year 647H) - ( Al-Maqrizi, p.444/vol.1) ] and they succeeded in convincing the people and the other government officials that the Sultan was only ill--not dead. High officials, Sultanic Mamluks and soldiers were ordered - by the will of the (ill Sultan) - to give oath to the Sultan, his heir Turanshah [ Ibn taghri, pp. 102-273/vol.6 ] [ As as-Salih Ayyub made no testimony concerning his successor, by this action, Shajar al-Durr made Turanshah an heir after the Sultan's death. ] and the Atabeg [ Commander in chief. See also Atabeg.] Fakhr ad-Din Yussuf. [ Al-Maqrizi, p.444/vol.1 ]

Defeat of the Seventh Crusade

The news of the death of as-Salih Ayyub reached the crusaders in Damietta in a way or another. [ Shayyal/p.98/vol.2] [ News of the death of the Sultan were leaking. Some people at the Egyptian camp knew about the death of as-Salih Ayyub. When the vice-Sultan Hossam Ad-Din doubted about a Sultanic sign made by the servant Sohail he was informed by some of his men at the camp that the Sultan was dead. People noticed that Emir Fakhr ad-Din was acting as a sovereign thus they knew that the Sultan was dead but not dared to speak out. (Al-Maqrizi,pp.444-445/vol.1). According to Abu Al-Fida many people knew the Sultan was dead when messengers were sent to Hasankeyf to call Turanshah. ( Abu Al-Fida/pp.66-87/Death of as-Salih Ayyub.)] Encouraged by the news of the death of the Sultan and by the arrival of reinforcement led by Alphonse de Poitiers, the brother of king Louis IX, the crusaders decided to march to Cairo. A crusade force led by Louis IX' brother Robert d'Artois crossed the canal of Ashmum (known today by the name Albahr Alsaghir ) and attacked the Egyptian camp in Gideila , two miles (3 km) from Al Mansurah. Emir Fakhr ad-Din was killed during the sudden attack and the crusade force advanced toward the town of Al Mansurah. Shajar al-Durr agreed about Baibars's plan to defend Al Mansurah [ Qasim,p.18] . The crusade force was trapped inside the town and Robert d'Artois was killed and the crusade force was annihilated [ According to Al-Maqrizi, about 1500 crusaders were killed. ( Al-Maqrizi, p.448/vol.1 )] [ According to Matthew Paris, Only 2 Templars, 1 Hospitaller and one ‘contemptible person’ escaped. ( Matthew Paris, LOUIS IX`S CRUSADE.p.147 / Vol.5 ) ] by an Egyptian force and town population led by the men who were about to establish the state which would dominate the southern Mediterranean for decades : Baibars al-Bunduqdari, Izz al-Din Aybak , and Qalawun al-Alfi. [ They were led by their leader Faris Ad-Din Aktai. ( Sadawi, p.12)]

In February 1250 the dead Sultan's son Al-Muazzam Turanshah arrived in Egypt and was enthroned at Al Salhiyah [ the coronation judge Badr ad-Din al-Sinjari waited for Turanshah in Gaza where. From Gaza they went to Al Salhiyah where they were received by the Vice-sultan Hossam ad-Din. ( Al-Maqrizi, p. 449/vol.1 ) ] [ Also 'As Salhiyah' in north Egypt, east of the Nile Delta. In Sharqia Governorate now .] as he had no time to go to Cairo. Feeling relieved by the arrival of the new Sultan, Shajar al-Durr announced the death of as-Salih Ayyub. Turanshah went straight to Al Mansurah [ Al-Maqrizi, pp. 449-450/vol.1 ] and on April 6, 1250 the crusaders were entirely defeated at the Battle of Fariskur and king Louis IX was captured. [ See also Battle of Fariskur. ]

Conflict with Turanshah

Once the Seventh Crusade was defeated and Louis IX was captured troubles between Turanshah on one side and Shajar al-Durr and the Mamluks on the other began. Turanshah, knowing he will not have full sovereignty while Shajar al-Durr, the Mamluks and the old guards of his late father are there, detained a few officials and started to replace old stuff, including the vice Sultan, [ Turanshah replaced the Vice-Sultan Hossam ad-Din with Jamal ad-Din Aqush. ( Al-Maqrizi, p.457/vol.1) ] with his followers who came with him from Al Karak [ Abu Al-Fida,pp.66-87/ Year 648H)] then he sent a message to Shajar al-Durr while she was in Jerusalem [ Ibn Taghri, pp.102-273/vol.6 ] warning her and requesting her to hand him the wealth and jewels of his late father. [ Ibn Taghri, pp.102-273/vol.6 ] The request and manners of Turansha distressed Shajar al-Durr. Complaining to the Mamluks about Turanshah's threats and ungratefulness, [ Shajar al-Durr protected Egypt during the Seventh Crusade, She preserved the Ayyubid throne and made Turanshah a Sultan in his absence. ] the Mamluks and in particular their leader Faris ad-Din Aktai were enraged. [ Faris ad-Din Aktai was already angry of Turanshah because he did not promote him to the rank of Emir as he promised him when they were in Hasankeyf. ( Al-Maqrizi, p. 457/vol.1) - ( Ibn Taghri, pp.102-273/vol.6 ) ] In addition, Turanshah used to drink alcohol and when drunk he abused the bondmaids of his father and threatened the Mamluks. [ Turanshah, when drunk, used to call the names of the Mamluks while cutting kindles with his sword and saying: " This is what I will do with the Bahriyya ". (Al-Maqrizi, p.457/vol.1) ( Ibn Taghri, pp.102-273/vol.6 ) ] Turanshah was assassinated by the Mamluks at Fariskur on May 2, 1250. He was the last of the Ayyubids Sultans. [ Al-Maqrizi, p. 458-459/ vol.1 ] [ The Ayyubid child who was only 6-year-old Al-Ashraf Musa was a powerless cosultan. ]

Rise to power

After the assassination of Turnshah the Mamluks and Emirs met at the Sultanic Dihliz [ Dihliz was the royal tent of the Sultan. ] and decided to install Shajar al-Durr as the new monarch with Izz al-Din Aybak as Atabeg (commander in chief). Shajar al-Durr was informed at the Citadel of the Mountain in Cairo [ Citadel of the Mountain was the abode and court of the sultan in Cairo. ] and she agreed. [ Al-Maqrizi, p.459/vo.1 ] Shajar al-Durr took the royal name " al-Malikah Ismat ad-Din Umm-Khalil Shajar al-Durr " with a few additional titles such as " Malikat al-Muslimin " ( Queen of the Muslims ) and " Walidat al-Malik al-Mansur Khalil Emir al-Mo'aminin "( Mother of al-Malik al-Mansur Khalil Emir of the faithfuls )She was mentioned in the Friday prayers in mosques with names like " Umm al-Malik khalil " ( Mother of al-Malik Khalil ) and " Sahibat al-Malik as-Salih " ( Wife of al-Malik as-Salih ). Coins were minted with her titles and she signed the decrees with the name " Walidat Khalil ". [ ( Al-Maqrizi, p.459/vol.1) - (Abu Al-Fida,pp.66-87/ Year 648H)] Using the names of her late husband and her dead son were attempts to gain respect and legitimacy for her reign as a heir of the Sultanate.

After paying homage to Shajar al-Durr and matters were settled, Emir Hossam ad-Din was sent to King Louis IX who was still imprisoned in Al Mansurah and it was agreed that Louis IX leaves Egypt alive after paying half of the ransom that was imposed earlier on him in exchange for his life and Damietta. [ Al-Maqrizi,p.460/vol.1 ] Louis surrendered Damietta and sailed to Acre On May 8, 1250 accompanied by about 12000 war prisoners. [ The Franks war prisoners included prisoners from older battles (Al-Maqrizi, p.460/vol.1) ]

Conflict with the Ayyubids

The news of the murder of al-Muazzam Turanshah and the inauguration of Shajar al-Durr as the new Sultana reached Syria. The Syrian Emirs were asked by Cairo to pay homage to Shajar al-Durr but they refused and the Sultan's deputy in Al Karak rebelled against Cairo. [ Al-Maqrizi, p.462/vol.1 ] The Syrian Emirs in Damascus gave Damascus to an-Nasir Yusuf the Ayyubid Emir of Aleppo and the Mamluks in Cairo answered by arresting the Emirs who were loyal to the Ayubbids in Egypt. [ Al-Maqrizi,pp.462-463/vol.1 ] In addition to the the Ayyubids in Syria, also the Abbasid Caliph al-Musta'sim in Baghdad defied the Mamluk move in Egypt and refused to recognize Shajar al-Dur as a monarch. [ The Abbasid Caliph al-Musta'sim sent a message from Baghdad to the Mamluks in Egypt that said :"If you do not have men there tell us so we can send you men." - (Al-Maqrizi, p.464/vol1)] [ In Egypt there was also objection from people who did not like Shajar al-Durr allowing Louis IX to depart from Egypt alive ] The refusal of the Caliph to recognize Shajar al-Durr as the new Sultana was a great setback to the Mamluks in Egypt as the custom during the Ayyubid era was that the Sultan could gain legitimacy only through the recognition of the Abbasid Caliph. [ Shayyal, p.115/vol.2] [ Despite the fact that the Ayyubids ruled as independent monarchs, they were spiritually royal to the Abbasid Caliphate It took the Mamluks some years till they could adjust this point. In 1258 the Abbasid Caliphate was destroyed with Baghdad by the Mongols. During the reign of Sultan Baibars a puppet Abbasid Caliphate was installed in Egypt which gave the Mamlukes full independence and freedom from any external power ( Shayyal, p.109/vol.2 ) ] . The Mamluks decided to instal Izz al-Din Aybak as a new Sultan. He married Shajar al-Durr who abdicated and passed him the throne after she ruled Egypt as a Sultana for about three months. [ Al-Maqrizi, p.463/vol.1] Though the period of Shajar al-Durr's rule as a monarch was of short duration, it witnessed two important events in history. one, the expelling of Louis IX from Egypt which marked the end of the crusaders ambition to conquer the southern Mediterranean basin and two, the death of the Ayyubid dynasty and the birth of the remarkable Mamluk state which dominated the southern Mediterranean for decades .

To please the Caliph and have his recognition, Aybak announced that he is merely a representative of the Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad. [ ( Al-Maqrizi, p.464/vol.1 ) ( Shayyal, p.115/vol.2 ) ] And to satisfy the Ayyubids in Syria the Mamluks nominated an Ayyubid child named al-Sharaf Musa as a cosultan. [ Shayyal, p.115/vol.2 ] [ al-malik Sharaf Muzafer al-Din Musa was a grandson of al-Malik al-Kamil. (Al-Maqrizi, p.464/vol.1) - (Shayal, p.115/ vol.2) - (Ibn Taghri, pp.103-273/ The Sultanate of al-Muizz Aybak al-Turkumani) - ( Abu Al-Fida, pp.68-87/year 652H ) - See also Aybak.] But this did not satisfy the Ayyubids and armed conflicts between the Mamluks and the Ayyubids broke out. [ See Aybak.] The Caliph in Baghdad, having in his mind the Mongols who were raiding territories not far from his capital, preferred to see the matter settled peacefully between the Mamluks in Egypt and the Ayyubids in Syria. Through negotiation and mediation of the Caliph that followed the bloody conflict, the Mamluks who manifested military superiority [ Mamluk forces defeated the forces of the Ayyubid king an-Nasir Yusuf in all the battles. - See also Aybak and an-Nasir Yusuf.] reached an agreement with the Ayyubids that gave them control over southern Palestine including Gaza and Jerusalem and the Syrian coast. [ ( Al-Maqrizi, p. 479/vol.1 )( Shayyal, p. 116/vol.2 ) ] By this agreement the Mamluks did not only add new territories to their dominion but also gained recognition for their new state. In addition to the conflict with the Ayyubids of Syria, the Mamluks successfully countered serious rebellions in Middle and Upper Egypt. [ In 1253 a serious rebellion led by Hisn al-Din Thalab in upper and middle Egypt was crashed by Aktai the leader of the Bahri Mamluks. See also Aybak ] Then, Aybak, fearing the growing power of the Salihiyya Mamluks who actually with Shajar al-Durr installed him as a Sultan, had their leader Faris ad-Din Aktai murdered. The murder of Aktai was followed instantly by a Mamluk exodus to Syria where they joined the Ayyubid an-Nasir Yusuf. [ Abu Al-Fida, pp.68-87/year 652H ] Prominent Mamluks like Baibars al-Bunduqdari and Qalawun al-Alfi were among those Mamluks who fled to Syria. [ While some Mamluks like Baibars and Qalawun fled to Syria others fled to Al Karak, Baghdad and the Seljuk Sultanate of Rûm. ( Shayyal, p. 118/vol.2)] Aybak became the sole and absolute ruler of Egypt after the Salihiyya Mamluks [ Salihiyya Mamluks were the Mamluks of as-Salih Ayyub. ] who were the supporters of Shajar al-Durr [ Asily,p.18] left Egypt and turned to his foes.

End

By 1257 disputes and suspicion became part of the relation between Aybak, [ Al-Maqrizi, p.493/vol.1 ] a Sultan who was searching for security and supremacy, and his wife Shajar al-Durr, a former Sultana who had a strong will and managed and saved a country that was on edge of collapse during an external invasion.Shajar al-Durr wanted to rule Egypt solitarily, she concealed the Sultanate affairs from Aybak and in addition, she prevented him from seeing his other wife and insisted that he should divorce her. [ Aybak had another wife known by the name "Umm Ali". She was the mother of al-Mansur Ali who became a Sultan. ] [ Al-Maqrizi, p.493/vol.1 ] But, instead, Aybak who was in need to form an alliance with a strong Emir who can help him against the threat of the Mamluks who fled to Syria, [ Shayal, p.119/ vol.2 ] decided in 1257 to marry the daughter of Badr ad-Din Lo'alo'a the Ayyubid Emir of al-Mousil. [( Al-Maqrizi, p.493/vol.1 ) - ( Ibn Taghri, pp.102-273/vol.6 ) ] Badr ad-Din Lo'alo'a warned Aybak that Shajar al-Durr was in contact with an-Nasir Yusuf in Damascus. [ Al-Maqrizi, p. 494/vol.1 ] [ According to Al-Maqrizi, Shajar al-Durr sent a gift to an-Nasir Yusuf with a message that said she will kill Aybak and marry him and make him a Sultan.( Al-Maqrizi, p.493/vol.1 )] Shajar al-Durr, feeling at risk [ Ibn Taghri, pp.102-273/vol.6 ] [ According to Al-Maqrizi, Aybak was planning to kill Shajar al-Durr. ( Al-Maqrizi, p.493/vol.1 ) ] and betrayed by Aybak, the man who she made a Sultan, she had him murdered by servants while he was taking a bath. [ ( Al-Maqrizi, p.493/vol.1 ) - ( Abu Al-Fida, pp.68-87/year 655H )] [ According to Al-Maqrizi, Aybak called Shajar al-Durr for help while the servants were killing him. Shajar al-Durr ordered the servants to let him but a servant named Mohsin al-Jojri roared to her : ' If we let him he would kill both you and us '. - ( Al-Maqrizi, p,493/vol.1 )] He ruled Egypt seven years.Shajar al-Durr claimed that Aybak died suddenly during the night but his Mamluks (Mu'iziyya) who were led by Qutuz did not believe her. [ Qasim,p.44] [ Al-Maqrizi, p.494/vol.1 ] [ According to Al-Maqrizi, during that night Shajar al-Durr sent the finger and ring of Aybak to Izz ad-Din Aybak al-Halabi asking him to takeover the power but he refused. (Al-Maqrizi, p. 494/vol.1) ] [ According to Ibn Taghri, Shajar al-Durr asked Izz ad-Din Aybak al-Halabi and Emir Jamal ad-Din Ibn Aydghodi to takeover the power but both refused. ( Ibn Taghri, pp.102-273/vol.6 ) ] The involved servants confessed under torture. Shajar al-Durr and the servants were arrested and Aybak Mamluks (Mu'iziyya Mamluks) wanted to kill her but the Salihyya Mamluks protected her and she was taken to the Red Tower where she stayed. [ ( Al-Maqrizi, p.493/vol.1 ) - ( Abu Al-Fida, pp.68-87/year 655H ) - ( Ibn Taghri, pp.102-273/vol.6 ) ] [ The Red Tower was built at the Citadel by al-Malik al-Kamil.( Al-Maqrizi, p.494/note 2 /vol.1 )] The son of Aybak the 15-year-old al-Mansur Ali was installed by the Mu'ziyyah Mamluks as the new Sultan [Qasim,p.44] [ (Abu Al-Fida,pp.66-87/ Year 647H) - (Al- Maqrizi, p.495) - ( Ibn Taghri, pp.102-273/vol.6 )] . Shajar al-Durr was beaten to death by the bondmaids of al-Mansur Ali and his mother. Her body was found lying outside the Citadel. [ (Al-Maqrizi, p.494/vol.1)-( Ibn Taghri, pp.102-273/vol.6 ) ] [ Meri 2006, [http://books.google.com/books?id=Hk9oc9xsuAC&pg=PA730&dq=%22Shajar+al-Durr+was+arrested%22&hl=tr&sig=V5l98fdvVqUf6WtGFH99WrFyoEA p.730] ] [Irwin 1986, [http://books.google.com/books?id=-jgOAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA29&dq=al-durr+killed+citadel&hl=tr&sig=1atr_nlbwooVKnt2BMzhpv60140 p. 29] ] The servants who were involved in the killing of Aybak were executed. [ In addition to Mohsin al-Jojri, 40 servants were executed. ( Al-Maqrizi, p. 494/vol.1 )]

Shajar al-Durr was buried in a tomb, not far from the Mosque of Tulun, which is a jewel of Islamic funerary architecture. Inside is a mihrab (prayer niche) decorated with a mosaic of the "tree of life," executed by artists brought from Constantinople specifically for this commission. The wooden kufic inscription that runs around the interior of her tomb, while damaged, is also of extremely fine craftsmanship.

Impact

Before their deaths, Aybak and Shajar al-Durr firmly established the Mamluk dynasty that would ultimately repulse the Mongols, expel the European Crusaders from the Holy Land, and remain the most powerful political force in the Middle East until the coming of the Ottomans.

hajar al-Durr in Egyptian folklore

Shajar al-Durr is one of the characters of Sirat al-Zahir Baibars ( Life of al-Zahir Baibars ), a folkloric epic of thousands of pages [ The edition that was printed in Cairo in 1923 is more than 15.000 pages. ] that was composed in Egypt during the early Mamluk era and took its final form at the early Ottoman era [ See Sirat al-Zahir Baibars ] . The tale which is a mix of fiction and facts reflects the marvel of the Egyptian commons for both Baibars and Shajar al-Durr. Fatma Shajarat al-Durr, as the tale names Shajar al-Durr, was the daughter of Caliph al-Muqtadir whose kingdom in Baghdad was attacked by the Mongols [ in Addition, Sirat al-Zahir Baibars mentioned that it was also said that Shajarat al-Durr was the daughter of Caliph al- Muqtadir's father al-Kamil Billah from a bondmaid but she was adopted by al-Muqtadir. ] . She was called Shajarat al-Durr ( tree of pearls ) because her father dressed her in a dress that was made of pearles. Her father granted her Egypt as she wished to be the Queen of Egypt and as-Salih Ayyub married her in order to stay in power as Egypt was hers. When Baibars was brought to the Citadel in Cairo she loved him and treated him like a son and he called her his mother. Aybak al-Turkumani, a wicked man, came from al-Mousil to steal Egypt from Shajarat al-Durr and her husband al-Salih Ayyub. Shajarat al-Durr killed Aybak with a sword but while fleeing from his son she fell from the roof of the citadel and died [ Sirat al-Zahir Baibars ] .

Coins of Shajar al-Durr

Such names and titles were inscribed on the coins of Shajar al-Durr: al-Musta'simiyah al-Salihiyah Malikat al-Muslimin walidat al-Malik al-Mansur Khalil Amir al-Mu'minin. ( The Musta'simiyah the Salihiyah Queen of the Muslims Mother of King al-Mansur Khalil Emir of the faithfuls ) and Shajarat al-Durr. Also names of the Abbasid Chaliph were inscribed on her coins: Abd Allah ben al-Mustansir Billah [ Mahdi,pp. 68-69 ]

ee also

*al-Muazzam Turanshah
*an-Nasir Yusuf
*Aybak
*Bahri dynasty
*Battle of Al Mansurah
*Battle of Fariskur
*Mamluk

Notes

References

*Abu al-Fida, The Concise History of Humanity.
*Al-Maqrizi, Al Selouk Leme'refatt Dewall al-Melouk, Dar al-kotob, 1997.
*Idem in English: Bohn, Henry G., The Road to Knowledge of the Return of Kings, Chronicles of the Crusades, AMS Press, 1969.
*Al-Maqrizi, al-Mawaiz wa al-'i'tibar bi dhikr al-khitat wa al-'athar,Matabat aladab,Cairo 1996, ISBN977-241-175X.
*Idem in French: Bouriant, Urbain , Description topographique et historique de l'Egypte,Paris 1895
*Ibn Iyas, Badai Alzuhur Fi Wakayi Alduhur , abridged and edited by Dr. M. Aljayar, Almisriya Lilkitab, Cairo 2007, ISBN 977-419-623-6
*Ibn Taghri, al-Nujum al-Zahirah Fi Milook Misr wa al-Qahirah, al-Hay'ah al-Misreyah 1968
* History of Egypt, 1382-1469 A.D. by Yusef. William Popper, translator Abu L-Mahasin ibn Taghri Birdi, University of California Press 1954
*Asly, B., al-Zahir Baibars, Dar An-Nafaes Publishing, Beirut 1992
* Sadawi. H, Al-Mamalik, Maruf Ikhwan, Alexandria.
*Mahdi,Dr. Shafik, Mamalik Misr wa Alsham ( Mamluks of Egypt and the Levant), Aldar Alarabiya, Beirut 2008
*Shayyal, Jamal, Prof. of Islamic history, [http://books.google.com/books?id=_wqaKAAACAAJ&hl=en Tarikh Misr al-Islamiyah] (History of Islamic Egypt), dar al-Maref, Cairo 1266, ISBN 977-02-5975-6
* Sirat al-Zahir Baibars, Printed by Mustafa al-Saba, Cairo 1923. Repulished in 5 volumes by Alhay'ah Almisriyah , Editor Gamal El-Ghitani, Cairo 1996, ISBN 977-01-4642-0
* Sirat al-Zahir Baibars, assembled H. Johar, M. Braniq, A. Atar, Dar Marif, Cairo 1986, ISBN 977-02-1747-6
* The chronicles of Matthew Paris ( Matthew Paris: Chronica Majora ) translated by Helen Nicholson 1989
* The Memoirs of the Lord of Joinville, translated by Ethel Wedgwood 1906
* The New Encyclopædia Britannica, Macropædia,H.H. Berton Publisher,1973-1974
* Meri, Josef W. (Editor). "Medieval Islamic Civilization: An Encyclopedia". Routledge, 2006. [http://books.google.com/books?id=H-k9oc9xsuAC&printsec=frontcover "web page"]
* Perry, Glenn Earl. "The History of Egypt - The Mamluk Sultanate". Greenwood Press, 2004. [http://books.google.com/books?id=yKDhFiRYcawC&pg=PA49&dq=%22Shajar+al-Durr%22%2B%22the+mamluk+sultanate%22&sig=matuSRIFBMoO-idi3XXbzQcLZ04 "page 49"]
*Qasim,Abdu Qasim Dr., Asr Salatin AlMamlik ( era of the Mamluk Sultans ), Eye for human and social studies, Cairo 2007
* Irwin, Robert. "The Middle East in the Middle Ages: The Early Mamluk Sultanate, 1250-1382". Routledge, 1986. [http://books.google.com/books?id=-jgOAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover "web page"]

External links

* Encyclopaedia Britannica Online - [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-22371/Egypt "Growth of Mamluk armies"]
* Women in World History - "Female Heroes from the Time of the Crusades:" [http://www.womeninworldhistory.com/heroine1.html "Shagrat al-Durr"]