Aybak
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Izz al-Din AybakThe name Aybeg or Aibak or Aybak is a combination of two Turkic words, "Ay" = Moon and "Beg" or variant "Bak" = Emir in Arabic. -(Al-Maqrizi, Note p.463/vol.1 ) () (''epithet:'' al-Malik al-Mu'izz Izz al-Din Aybak al-Jawshangir al-Turkmani al-Salihi, ) was the first of the Mamluk sultans of
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
in the Turkic Bahri line.Though Aybak is regarded by historian as a Mamluk, he actually served in the court of as-Salih Ayyub as an Emir/military commander and not as a Mamluk.- Shayal, p. 153/ vol.2- Al-Maqrizi, p. 463/vol.1 – According to Ibn Taghri as-Salih Ayyub bought him before he became a Sultan and he promoted him to the position an Emir. The rank which Aybak used was of a Khawanja (خوانجا Sultan's accountant ). Ibn Taghri, PP.103-273/ The Sultanate of al-Muizz Aybak al-Turkumani.Some historians, however, consider Shajar Adurr as the first of the Mamluk Sultans. Shayal, p.115/vol.2.Al-Maqrizi, also, described Shajar Adurr as the first of the Mamluk sultans of Turkic origin. al-Maqrizi, p.459/ vol.1 He ruled from 1250 until his death in 1257.


Origin and early career

Aybak ('' Turkic: ay'', ''moon''; '' bak'', ''commander'') was an Emir/commander of Turkic origin who served with other Turkmens in the court of the Ayyubid sultan as-Salih Ayyub and therefore was known among the Bahri Mamluks as Aybak al-Turkmani. He raised to the position of
Emir Emir (; ' (), also Romanization of Arabic, transliterated as amir, is a word of Arabic language, Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocratic, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person po ...
(commander) and worked as a ''Jashnkir'' (taster of the sultan's food and drink, or cupbearer) and used the rank of a Khawanja (Sultan's accountant).See note 1. After the death of as-Salih Ayyub during the Frankish invasion of Damietta in 1249 and the murder of his heir and son Turanshah in 1250,
Shajar al-Durr Shajar al-Durr (), also Shajarat al-Durr (), whose royal name was al-Malika ʿAṣmat ad-Dīn ʾUmm-Khalīl Shajar ad-Durr (; died 28 April 1257), was a ruler of Egypt. She was the wife of As-Salih Ayyub, and later of Izz al-Din Aybak, the first ...
, the widow of as-Salih Ayyub, with the help and support of the Mamluks of her late husband, seized the throne and became the Sultana of Egypt. The Ayyubids lost control over Egypt. Both the Ayyubids in Syria and the
Abbasid The Abbasid Caliphate or Abbasid Empire (; ) was the third caliphate to succeed the prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib (566–653 C ...
Caliph A caliphate ( ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with Khalifa, the title of caliph (; , ), a person considered a political–religious successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a leader of ...
al-Musta'sim in
Baghdad Baghdad ( or ; , ) is the capital and List of largest cities of Iraq, largest city of Iraq, located along the Tigris in the central part of the country. With a population exceeding 7 million, it ranks among the List of largest cities in the A ...
defied the Mamluk move in Egypt and refused to recognize Shajar al-Durr as a SultanaThe 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 but the Mamluks in Egypt renewed their oath to the new Sultana, and she appointed Aybak to the important position of
Atabeg Atabeg, Atabek, or Atabey is a hereditary title of nobility of Turkic language, Turkic origin, indicating a governor of a nation or province who was subordinate to a monarch and charged with raising the crown prince. The first instance of the ti ...
(commander in chief).


Rise to power (1250)

Feeling uneasy when the Syrian Emirs refused to pay homage to Shajar al-Durr and granted
Damascus Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...
to an-Nasir Yusuf the Ayyubid emir of
Aleppo Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...
, Shajar al-Durr married Aybak then abdicated and passed the throne to Aybak after she ruled Egypt for 80 days, starting on May 2, 1250. Aybak, from the end of July 1250 the new sultan of Egypt, was given the royal name al-Malik al-Muizz. Until then, Aybak relied foremost on four Mamluks: Faris ad-Din Aktai, Baibars al-Bunduqdari, Qutuz and Bilban al-Rashidi. Aybak's formal rule ended after just five days. To consolidate his position of Aybak, and attempting to satisfy their opponents in
Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
and Baghdad, the Bahri Mamluks installed the 6-year-old al-Ashraf Musa,Also known as Al-Nasir Salah ad-Din Yusuf. – Al-Maqrizi, p.464/vol.1- Ibn Taghri, pp.103-273/ The Sultanate of al-Muizz Aybak al-Turkumani.Coins of Musa show he was a Sultan and not a co-sultan. who was one of the Syrian branch of the Ayyubid familyal-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, as a Sultan and announced that Aybak is merely a representative of the Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad. In addition, and to display his loyalty to his deceased Ayyubid master as-Salih Ayyub, Aybak organised a funeral ceremony for as-Salih and buried him in the tomb which as-Salih had built for himself before his death near his
madrasah Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , ), sometimes romanized as madrasah or madrassa, is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whether for elementary education or higher learning ...
in the district of Bain al-Qasrain in
Cairo Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...
.The death of as-Salih Ayyub was concealed by his wife Shajar ad-Durr as Egypt was under the attack of the Seventh Crusade and his coffined body was transported by a boat in secret to the castle of al-Rudah island in the Nile where it stayed till was buried by Aybak in the Sultan's tomb near as-Salih's Madrasah. ( Al-Maqrizi, pp. 441-443/vol.1 ) See also
Shajar al-Durr Shajar al-Durr (), also Shajarat al-Durr (), whose royal name was al-Malika ʿAṣmat ad-Dīn ʾUmm-Khalīl Shajar ad-Durr (; died 28 April 1257), was a ruler of Egypt. She was the wife of As-Salih Ayyub, and later of Izz al-Din Aybak, the first ...
.
Nevertheless, the actual power in Egypt was still exercised by Aybak, who had returned to his position of atabak (atabeg).


Ayyubid challenge

An-Nasir Yusuf sent his forces to Gaza to conquer Egypt and overthrow Aybak but his forces were defeated by Emir Faris ad-Din Aktai in October 1250. Then he led a huge army and clashed with Aybak's army near Al-Salihiyya, not far from Cairo, but at the end of the battle he was forced to flee to Damascus while his son Turanshah,Not to be confused with his namesake Sultan Turanshah the son of as-Salih Ayyub. his brother Nosrat ad-Din and al-Malik al-Ashraf the Emir of Aleppo were among the prisoners caught by Aybak's army.Ibn Taghri, PP.103-273/ The Sultanate of al-Muizz Aybak al-Turkumani. Aybak's triumphs over the Ayyobids of Syria consolidated his position as a ruler of Egypt. Through negotiation and mediation of the Abbasid Caliph, Aybak freed the Ayyubid prisoners and gained control over southern Palestine including Gaza and
Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
and the Syrian coast. Feeling secure by his victories and his agreement with the Ayyubids, Aybak imprisoned the young Ayyubid co-sultan Musa and appointed Qutuz as vice-sultan in 1252.


Rebellion

In 1253, a serious rebellion led by Hisn al-Din Thalab in Upper and Middle Egypt was crushed by Aktai, the leader of the Bahri Mamluks. By defeating the Ayyubid forces of An-Nasir Yusuf and the crushing of the rebellion of Thalab the power of Emir Aktai and his Mamluks increased and they began to form a new threat to the authority of Aybak. When Aktai asked Aybak to allow him to live inside the
citadel A citadel is the most fortified area of a town or city. It may be a castle, fortress, or fortified center. The term is a diminutive of ''city'', meaning "little city", because it is a smaller part of the city of which it is the defensive core. ...
Citadel of the Mountain was the abode and court of the sultan in Cairo with his future wife who was the sister of al-Malik al-Mansour, the Emir of Hama, Aybak became convinced that Aktai and his Mamluks had the intention to overthrow him and, thus, he decided to get rid of them.


Crackdown on Mamluks (1254–55)

In 1254, in a conspiracy with Qutuz and a few Mamluks, Aybak invited Aktai to the citadel and had him murdered. Watching the head of Aktai thrown out from the citadel, the Bahriyya Mamluks, among them Baibars al-Bunduqdari and Qalawun al-Alfi, fled during the night to Damascus, al-Karak and the Seljuk Sultanate of Rûm. Aybak plundered the properties of the Bahriyya Mamluks and retracted
Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...
which Aktai controlled as own domain since 1252. Those who could not flee were either imprisoned or executed. As soon as he finished with Aktai and his Bahriyya Mamluks, Aybak dethroned the child co-sultan al-Ashraf Musa and sent him back to his aunts' house, which was his home before they had made him a co-sultan. Now Aybak was the absolute and sole ruler of Egypt and parts of Syria, but shortly afterwards he settled a new agreement with an-Nasir Yusuf, which limited his power to Egypt only. In 1255 a new rebellion led by his namesake Izz al-Din Aybak al-Afram arose in upper Egypt and forces of an-Nasir Yusuf arrived to the Egyptian border, this time accompanied by the Bahriyya Mamluks who had fled to Syria, including Baibars al-Bunduqdari and Qalawun al-Alfi.


End

Being in need to form an alliance with an ally who could help him against the threat of the Mamluks who had fled to Syria, Aybak decided in 1257 to marry the daughter of Badr ad-Din Lu'lu', the emir of Mosul. Shajar al-Durr, who already had disputes with AybakAybak's conflict with the Mamluks and his attempt to increase his supremacy over political matters had its effect on his relation with Shajar Al-Durr. According to Al-Maqrizi, Aybak decided to liquidate Shajar Al-Durr after he was warned that she contacted An-Nasir Yusuf and promised him to make him the Sultan of Egypt. Al-Maqrizi, pp.493-494/vol.1 felt betrayed by the man who she made sultan, and had him murdered after he had ruled Egypt seven years. On the day of his death he was about 60 years old and had a few sons, among them Nasir ad-Din Khan and al-Mansur Ali. Aybak's 11-year-old son Ali was installed by his loyal Mamluks (Mu'iziyya Mamluks), who were led by Qutuz.Qasim, p.44 The new sultan took the royal name al-Malik al-Mansur Nour ad-Din Ali with Qutuz as a vice-sultan.


Impact

Aybak was not liked nor respected by the Egyptians though he was remembered by the historian as a courageous and generous Sultan.In Sirat al-Zahir Baibars, which is a fiction mixed with reality and a product of folklore, Aybak appears as a wicked and a feeble man. See Sirat al-Zahir Baibars. Aybak ruled in a turbulent time. In addition to his conflicts with an-Nasir Yusuf in Syria and Emir Aktai and his Mamluks in Egypt, there were threats from external forces, namely the Crusaders and
Louis IX of France Louis IX (25 April 1214 – 25 August 1270), also known as Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death in 1270. He is widely recognized as the most distinguished of the Direct Capetians. Following the death of his father, Louis VI ...
who were in
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waiting for a chance to score a success against the Muslims after their humiliating defeat in Egypt in 1250,See Battle of Al Mansurah and Battle of Fariskur and the Mongols led by Hulagu who were starting to raid the eastern borders of the Islamic world.In 1252 during Aybak reign Mongols raided towns and territories on the eastern border of the Islamic world. – Al-Maqrizi, p.477/vol.1 Before their deaths, Aybak and Shajar al-Durr firmly established the
Mamluk Sultanate The Mamluk Sultanate (), also known as Mamluk Egypt or the Mamluk Empire, was a state that ruled Egypt, the Levant and the Hejaz from the mid-13th to early 16th centuries, with Cairo as its capital. It was ruled by a military caste of mamluks ...
that would ultimately repulse the
Mongols Mongols are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, China ( Inner Mongolia and other 11 autonomous territories), as well as the republics of Buryatia and Kalmykia in Russia. The Mongols are the principal member of the large family o ...
, expel the European Crusaders from the
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, and would remain the most powerful political force in the
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until the coming of the
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. Aibak built a
Madrasah Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , ), sometimes romanized as madrasah or madrassa, is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whether for elementary education or higher learning ...
in Cairo known by the name al-Madrasah al-Mu'izzyah.


See also

* An-Nasir Yusuf * Bahri dynasty * Kipchaks * List of rulers of Egypt


Footnotes


References

;Sources * 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, . * Idem in French: Bouriant, Urbain, Description topographique et historique de l'Egypte, Paris 1895 * 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 * Mahdi, Dr. Shafik, Mamalik Misr wa Alsham ( Mamluks of Egypt and the Levant), Aldar Alarabiya, Beirut 2008 * Qasim, Abdu Qasim Dr., Asr Salatin AlMamlik ( era of the Mamluk Sultans ), Eye for human and social studies, Cairo 2007 * Sadawi, H., Al-Mamalik, Maroof Ikhwan, Alexandria. * Shayal, Jamal, Prof. of Islamic history
Tarikh Misr al-Islamiyah
(History of Islamic Egypt), dar al-Maref, Cairo 1266, * The New
Encyclopædia Britannica The is a general knowledge, general-knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It has been published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. since 1768, although the company has changed ownership seven times. The 2010 version of the 15th edition, ...
, Macropædia, H.H. Berton Publisher, 1973–1974 {{DEFAULTSORT:Aybak Bahri sultans Egyptian nobility 13th-century Mamluk sultans Muslims of the Seventh Crusade 1257 deaths Year of birth unknown Regents of Egypt 13th-century regents