Al-Musta'in (Cairo)

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Abu al-Fadl Abbas al-Musta'in Billah
أبو الفضل عباس المستعين بالله
10th
Egypt
DiedFebruary or March 1430 (aged 39–40)
Alexandria, Egypt
Burial
Alexandria
Issueal-Mutawakkil II
Names
Ebû’l-Fadıl el-`Abbâs "el-Mûsta`in bi’l-Lâh"
Fatheral-Mutawakkil I
MotherBay Khatun
ReligionSunni Islam

Abu’l-Faḍl Abbas Al-Musta'in Billah (

Egyptian Mamluk sultans from 1406 to 1414. He was the only Cairo-based caliph to hold political power as Sultan of Egypt,[2][3] albeit for only six months in 1412. All the other Cairene caliphs who preceded or succeeded him were spiritual heads lacking any temporal power.[4]

Life

Al-Musta'in was the son of

Faraj on his campaign in the Levant against the rebel amirs (governors) of Aleppo and Tripoli. Faraj's defeat at Lajjun on 25 April 1412 resulted in anarchy. Al-Musta'in was captured by the rebels, who competed against each other for the sultanate. Unable to choose a candidate from among themselves, the quarreling Mamluks followed the advice of Faraj's infant son Fath Allah, who had suggested appointing al-Musta'in as sultan.[1]

After formally removing Faraj from office, al-Musta'in reluctantly accepted the sultanate on 7 May 1412.

Shaykh al-Mahmudi and Baktamur Djillik. Al-Musta'in took up his residence at the Cairo Citadel on 12 July.[1] He involved himself in the appointment and removal of ministers, and coins were struck in his name.[5] This signalled his intention to rule as sultan and not to content himself with a figurehead role. Worried by such a prospect, Shaykh started to gradually isolate al-Musta'in, nearly turning him into a state prisoner. Baktamur Djillik's death on 15 September accelerated Shaykh's usurpation of power, which became complete when he had himself recognized as sultan on 6 November 1412, whereupon he assumed the title of al-Mu'ayyad. After long hesitation, al-Musta'in formally abdicated the sultanate, and was held in the Citadel. Having filled his role as interim sultan, he expected to remain as caliph, as had been initially agreed upon. However, he was deposed from the caliphate by Shaykh on 9 March 1414, and replaced by his brother al-Mu'tadid II.[1]

Shaykh's dethronement of al-Musta'in was declared unlawful by the

Sayf ad-Din Tatar, when he was released and allowed to return to Cairo. However, he preferred to stay in Alexandria, where he received considerable sums of money from the merchants.[5] He died there of plague in 1430 at less than 40 years of age. In retrospect, al-Musta'in's short reign as sultan is viewed as a failed attempt at producing an Abbasid revival.[1] In 1455, his brother al-Qa'im equally tried and failed to hold power as sultan.[2] Nevertheless, al-Musta'in's position as caliph was recognized far beyond Egypt's borders, with distant rulers such as Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah of Bengal sending him large sums of money.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 978-90-04-09419-2
    .
  2. ^
    ISBN 978-977-424-213-7
    .
  3. ISBN 978-90-04-09790-2
    . Retrieved 2010-10-15. But not a single one of them (with the exception of Musta'in, who was made the plaything of rival political factions in 1412 and for six months was styled Sultan) ever exercised any function of government or enjoyed any political power.
  4. ISBN 978-81-261-0403-1
    . These Caliphs were the spiritual heads only. All temporal authority lay with the Mamluk Sultans. [...] In 1412 C.E. the Caliph Al Mustain captured temporal power as well, but he could not hold such power for more than six months. The Caliphs who followed him had to remain content as spiritual heads only.
  5. ^
    OCLC 470140533
    .

Further reading

External links

Al-Musta'in
Mamluk Abbasid dynasty
Born: c. 1390 Died: 1430
Sunni Islam titles
Preceded by Caliph of Cairo
22 January 1406 – 9 March 1414 		Succeeded by
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Faraj
Sultan of Egypt

7 May 1412 – 6 November 1412 		Succeeded by
Shaykh al-Mahmudi
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