Burjites

The Sultan S Mamelukes burjites , burdjites or bourjites (rear RTL المماليكالبرجيون) form the second dynasty of Mamelouks having reigned in Egypt of 1382 with 1517. Sometimes one indicates them under the name of Mamelouks of the tower (rear RTL برج burj, turn, bastion ) because they had chosen as residence a citadel in the east of the Cairo. They are called also Mamelouks Circassien S (rear RTL الجراكسة) or Mamelukes Tcherkesse S (rear RTL الشركس) because of their origins: it is slaves taken in Circassie, an area of the the Caucasus where lived Tcherkesses.

This dynasty was very unstable, as testify some the extremely short reigns. The competitions of being able were very important in the sultan nomination. They had to fight against Tamerlan and conquered the island of Cyprus. Their continual quarrels facilitated certainly their inversion by the Othoman .

History

Birth of the dynasty

Since 1250 the Egypt is controlled by Mamelukes of Turkish origin of the dynasty known as bahrite. In 1377 a revolt starts in Syria and reached Egypt. The capacity is taken by the circassien (Tcherkesse) Az-Zâhir Sayf AD-DIN Barquq which is proclaimed sultan in 1382. The last member of the dynasty bahrite Have-Sâlih Zayn AD-DIN Hajji takes again the capacity in 1389 but Barquq takes it again in a permanent way in 1390 creating the new dynasty burdjite thus.

The Cypriot corsairs do not hesitate to carry on their activity in particular in Syria. In 1425, the sultan Mameluke Al-Achrâf Sayf AD-DIN Barsbay sends in reprisals a squadron to plunder Limassol. The following year, it is an army which unloads and crushes the Cypriot army with Chirokitia (Χοιροκοιτία) on July 7th 1426. The king Janus of Cyprus is captured and taken along to Cairo but it is released after having recognized the suzerainty of the sultan. The Royaume of Cyprus was to pour a tribute with the Mamelukes. Barsbay also made frequent raids in minor Asia. He died in 1438

Relations with the Othomans

Al-Achrâf Sayf AD-DIN Inal Al-Ala' I seizes the power in 1453. It has good relationships with the Othomans who took shortly after possession of Constantinople (May 29th 1453). This conquest caused even a great joy in Egypt.

However it is under the reign of Az-Zâhir Sayf AD-DIN Khuchqadam (1460 - 1467) that begins the fight between Egypt mamelouke and Othomans. In 1464, Khuchqadam and the caliph Mehmed {{II}} are in disagreement on the choice of the khân of the principality of Karaman. Two brothers are opposed: one, Ishak, had obtained the support of Uzun Hassan sultan of Akkoyunlu (clan of the “White Sheep”), the other, Pir Ahmed receives the support of Mehmed. But Pir Ahmed makes the error to seek an arrangement with the Vénitiens; Mehmed considers that it was a treason and leaves to shift and conquers Konya and Karaman.

In 1467, Qait Bay causes the anger of Bayezid {{II}}, because his/her brother is poisoned during an interview with Qait Bay. Bayezid seizes Adana, Tarse and other fortified towns of the sultanate Mameluke. Qait Bay leaves there nevertheless victorious.

Qait Bay also tries to support the Moslems of Andalusia by maltreating the Christians of Syria, but that does not have any effect.

End of the dynasty

The war against the Othoman sultan Sélim {{Ier}} Yavuz began in 1515 and ends in the incorporation of Egypt and its dependences in the Ottoman Empire.

Al-Achrâf Qânsûh Al-Ghûrî is attacked by Sélim 1st to have left the passage through the Syria with the ambassadors of the Safavide of Ismaïl {{Ier}} on the way towards Venice to organize a coalition anti-Othoman. The Battle of Marj-Dabiq (August 24th, 1516) between Selim and Qansûh Al-Ghûrî like vassal of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mutawakkil {{III}}, shows a defeat for the Mamelukes and by the death of Qansûh Al-Ghûrî. The loads of the cavalry mameloukes were impotent in front of Turkish artillery and the Janissaire S. the Abbasid caliph Al-Mutawakkil is made prisoner. Sélim enters Alep on August 28th 1517. The day following the prayers are known as on its behalf, the informant caliph. Sélim seizes Syria and the Lebanon. This conquest is greeted like a delivery of the yoke Mameluke. Sélim crosses the desert of the the Sinai in 13 days. It beats once again the Mamelukes around the Cairo on January 24th 1517. The last sultan Mameluke Al-Adil Tuman Bay is carried out on April 13rd.

List sultans burjites

Some keys to include/understand these names:

to az-Zâhir (rear RTL الظاهر) obvious (E) the , one finds also transliterations Al-Zâhir, to adh-Dhâhir, Al-Dhâhir.
Sayf (rear RTL سيف) sword, sword .
AD-DIN (rear RTL الدين) the religion .
Al-Mansûr (rear RTL المنصور) the victorious .
year-Nâsir (rear RTL الناصر) the defender .
Al-Achrâf (rear RTL الأشرف) noble the , one finds also Al-Ashrâf.
have-Sâlih (rear RTL الصالح) the referee, the conciliator .
Al-Muzaffar (rear RTL المظفر) the winner , one finds also Al-Mudhaffar.

Random links: