Short Description
The time of Mamluk rule is unknown among many ordinary Muslims, and even a lot of those who are cultured. This may go back to many factors, including:
The time of Mamluk rule is unknown among many ordinary Muslims, and even a lot of those who are cultured. This may go back to many factors, including:
First: At that time, the Islamic Ummah was divided, and turned into many dispersed emirates and mini countries, some of which were too small and medium-sized to exceed the definition of a city and its surrounding villages. Consequently, the study of this period requires great effort in order to get acquainted with the states and circumstances of many Islamic regions.
Second: The Mamluk State had so many viceroys and sultans. It is sufficient here to mention that during the time of the 144-year Bahri Mamluk State (and we shall define this later, Allaah willing), 29 sultans succeeded in office, with average of about 5-year term of rule for each. It is true that the term of rule of some of them was longer, but the term of rule of a lot of them ranged between one and two years. Additionally, there were many coups and military troubles during the time of Mamluk rule; from among the 29 sultans, 10 were murdered and 12 were ousted! Both force and arms were the main way of changing sultans. The state adopted the foundation set by an Ayyubid Sultan, i.e. Al-‘Aadil, according to which, rule should go to the winner!
Third: Islamic history was exposed to falsification, led by the Orientalists and their Muslim devotees who were tempted by them, and distorted the history of the Mamluks in spite of their great and important achievements, of which, a mention may be made of their standing against two transgressing powers of evil, which tried to ruin the palace of Islam, i.e. the Tatars and the Crusaders. The Mamluks persisted in striving against those two powers, at different times. The Mamluk State carried the flag of Islam on earth for nearly 3 centuries until it was received by the strong Ottoman Caliphate.
It is not my focus in this book, to explain in detail the history of the Mamluk State. But I will write, Allaah willing, two books dedicated to a detailed explanation of the emergence, story and Jihaad of the Mamluks.
The first will deal with the Crusades, in which I will talk, Allaah willing, about the history of the Crusades in the Islamic world, and the role of the Zengi dynasty and then the Ayyubids, and the emergence of the Mamluks and their role in repelling the Crusaders.
The other book will talk about the Mamluk State from its beginning till its end.
In this chapter, let me try to briefly discuss the events that led to the emergence of the Mamluks who were ruling Egypt just by the time the Tatars arrived in Shaam, during their invasion of the Islamic world.
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