Al-Ashraf Ala'a ad-Din Kujuk ibn Muhammad ibn Qalawun ( ar, الأشرف علاءالدين كجك), better known as al-Ashraf Kujuk (also spelled ''Küchük''), (1334 – September 1345) was the
Mamluk
Mamluk ( ar, مملوك, mamlūk (singular), , ''mamālīk'' (plural), translated as "one who is owned", meaning " slave", also transliterated as ''Mameluke'', ''mamluq'', ''mamluke'', ''mameluk'', ''mameluke'', ''mamaluke'', or ''marmeluke'') ...
sultan from August 1341 to January 1342. He was a young child on the throne, and real power was held by his regent Emir
Qawsun
Sayf ad-Din Qawsun ibn Abdullah an-Nasiri as-Saqi (1302 – April 1342), commonly known as Qawsun (also spelled ''Qausun'' or ''Qusun'') was a prominent Mamluk emir during the reigns of sultans an-Nasir Muhammad (r. 1310–41), al-Mansur Abu Bakr ...
, a senior aid to Kujuk's father Sultan
an-Nasir Muhammad
Al-Malik an-Nasir Nasir ad-Din Muhammad ibn Qalawun ( ar, الملك الناصر ناصر الدين محمد بن قلاوون), commonly known as an-Nasir Muhammad ( ar, الناصر محمد), or by his kunya: Abu al-Ma'ali () or as Ibn Qal ...
(r. 1310–41). When Qawsun was ousted in a ''
mamluk
Mamluk ( ar, مملوك, mamlūk (singular), , ''mamālīk'' (plural), translated as "one who is owned", meaning " slave", also transliterated as ''Mameluke'', ''mamluq'', ''mamluke'', ''mameluk'', ''mameluke'', ''mamaluke'', or ''marmeluke'') ...
'' revolt in late December 1341, Kujuk was deposed in the weeks after. Kujuk was later murdered at the age of nine as a result of the political intrigues in the sultanate.
Biography
Kujuk was born in 1334 to father Sultan
an-Nasir Muhammad
Al-Malik an-Nasir Nasir ad-Din Muhammad ibn Qalawun ( ar, الملك الناصر ناصر الدين محمد بن قلاوون), commonly known as an-Nasir Muhammad ( ar, الناصر محمد), or by his kunya: Abu al-Ma'ali () or as Ibn Qal ...
(r. 1310–41) and his
Tatar
The Tatars ()[Tatar]
in the Collins English Dictionary is an umbrella term for different wife Ardu.
In August 1341, Kujuk, then five or six, was installed as sultan by the strongman of Egypt, Emir
Qawsun
Sayf ad-Din Qawsun ibn Abdullah an-Nasiri as-Saqi (1302 – April 1342), commonly known as Qawsun (also spelled ''Qausun'' or ''Qusun'') was a prominent Mamluk emir during the reigns of sultans an-Nasir Muhammad (r. 1310–41), al-Mansur Abu Bakr ...
, who served as his regent and in effect, held the reins of power.
[Drory 2006, p. 20.] Kujuk was appointed following Qawsun's arrest and execution of Sultan
al-Mansur Abu Bakr
Al-Malik al-Mansur Sayf ad-Din Abu Bakr ( ar, الملك المنصور سيف الدين أبو بكر), better known as al-Mansur Abu Bakr ( ar, المنصور أبو بكر), (ca. 1321 – November 1341) was the Bahri Mamluk sultan in 1341. From ...
, Kujuk's elder half-brother and predecessor.
Kujuk was removed from the throne on 21 January 1342 and replaced by his elder half-brother
an-Nasir Ahmad after Qawsun was ousted and killed in a ''
mamluk
Mamluk ( ar, مملوك, mamlūk (singular), , ''mamālīk'' (plural), translated as "one who is owned", meaning " slave", also transliterated as ''Mameluke'', ''mamluq'', ''mamluke'', ''mameluk'', ''mameluke'', ''mamaluke'', or ''marmeluke'') ...
'' revolt.
[Drory 2006, p. 24.]
After his deposition, Kujuk returned to the care of his mother in the women's quarters in the
Cairo Citadel
The Citadel of Cairo or Citadel of Saladin ( ar, قلعة صلاح الدين, Qalaʿat Salāḥ ad-Dīn) is a medieval Islamic-era fortification in Cairo
Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the Capital city, capital of Egypt ...
.
[Holt 1986, p. 122.] During the reign of Kujuk's half-brother
as-Salih Isma'il (r. 1342–1345), Kujuk was seen by as-Salih Isma'il and his mother as a potential contender for the throne.
In August 1345, as-Salih Isma'il died of an illness that he had been suffering from for months. His mother accused Kujuk's mother of having used sorcery to cause as-Salih Isma'il's illness.
As a result, Kujuk was murdered in September 1345 at the age of nine.
References
Bibliography
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{{Mamluk Sultans of Egypt
1334 births
1345 deaths
14th-century Mamluk sultans
Bahri sultans
Medieval child rulers
Murdered Mamluk sultans
People of Tatar descent
Rulers deposed as children