Shaykhu al-Umari an-Nasiri (died October 1357) was a high-ranking

Mamluk Mamluk or Mamaluk (; (singular), , ''mamālīk'' (plural); translated as "one who is owned", meaning "slave") were non-Arab, ethnically diverse (mostly Turkic, Caucasian, Eastern and Southeastern European) enslaved mercenaries, slave-so ...

emir during the reigns of sultans al-Muzaffar Hajji (1346–1347), an-Nasir Hasan (1347–1351, 1355–1361) and as-Salih Salih (1351–1355).

Biography

Shaykhu began his career as a ''

mamluk Mamluk or Mamaluk (; (singular), , ''mamālīk'' (plural); translated as "one who is owned", meaning "slave") were non-Arab, ethnically diverse (mostly Turkic, Caucasian, Eastern and Southeastern European) enslaved mercenaries, slave-so ...

'' (manumitted slave soldier) during the third reign of Sultan an-Nasir Muhammad (r. 1310–1341).Dobrowolski 2001, p. 28. Shaykhu rose to become a high-ranking emir under Sultan al-Muzaffar Hajji (r. 1346–1347).Al-Harithy 1996, p. 78. During the first term of the latter's child successor, an-Nasir Hasan, Shaykhu emerged as one of the four influential Mamluk emirs who wielded power in the sultanate. An-Nasir Hasan moved to assert his authority over the emirs in 1350 by arresting Shaykhu and Emir Manjak al-Yusufi
com
, imprisoning them both in

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 ...

. Shaykhu was pardoned in 1351 following Hasan's ouster and replacement by Sultan as-Salih Salih and the strongman of the sultanate, Emir Taz an-Nasiri
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. Shaykhu returned to

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 ...

where he and Taz effectively held the levers of power and supervised the affairs of the state. During this three-year period (1352–1355), Shaykhu commissioned the construction of a ''sabil kuttab'' (public fountain where the Qur'an was taught) in

. Relations soured between Shaykhu and Taz, leading with the former gaining the upper hand and together with Emir Sirghitmish an-Nasiri, deposing as-Salih Salih and restoring Hasan to the sultanate. Taz was soon after imprisoned on Hasan's orders, but Shaykhu compelled Hasan to assign him to

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 ...

as governor instead, effectively exiling Taz. Shaykhu was appointed ''atabak al-asakir'' (commander in chief of the military) by Hasan, giving him considerable power in the sultanate. During this time, he was the first person to hold the title of ''emir kabir'' (great commander). In 1355, Shaykhu had a mosque bearing his name built in Cairo, between Rumeila Square and the Ibn Tulun Mosque.Muhammad 1991, p. 151. November 1357, Shaykhu was murdered in a council meeting of the Royal Mamluks (the top tier in the Mamluk military hierarchy).Al-Harithy 1996, p. 70. Thereafter, his ''

'' faction had their power restricted by Hasan.

References

Bibliography

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* {{refend 1357 deaths Bahri dynasty Mamluk emirs Politicians from Cairo