Short Description
King Louis IX descended with his army in Damietta on 20 Safar 647 A.H., and unfortunately, the defending garrison thought that the ill king As-Saalih had died, hence, it unjustifiably withdrew, and Damietta fell easily into the hands of the Crusaders, given that it was the same
We will not discuss the details of this campaign, even though it was of great significance, and its battles were of great importance in Islamic history. But it is irrelevant to talk about this in detail; and they will be discussed thoroughly, Allaah willing, in the book about the Crusades.
King Louis IX descended with his army in Damietta on 20 Safar 647 A.H., and unfortunately, the defending garrison thought that the ill king As-Saalih had died, hence, it unjustifiably withdrew, and Damietta fell easily into the hands of the Crusaders, given that it was the same city which had caused much trouble to the 5th Crusade.
Having been informed about that, King As-Saalih Ayyoob, May Allaah Have mercy upon him, grieved, and punished those who were in charge of the fall of Damietta, and expected that the Christian Crusaders would head towards Cairo across the Nile to invade the Egyptian capital, and overthrow the entire state.
For this reason, he took his wise decision to meet them on the way between Damietta and Cairo. He chose Mansoura for it lies on the Nile, and the Crusaders would, inevitably, seize the opportunity to go on board across the Nile, utilizing their large number of ships.
King As-Saalih, May Allaah Have mercy upon him, commanded that he should be transported to Mansoura, which lies on the branch of Nile coming from Damietta, to lie in wait for the Crusader army, and get ready for a decisive battle there.
King As-Saalih, May Allaah Have mercy upon him, was transported to Mansoura, in spite of his severe illness, and both Faaris Ad-Deen Aqtai and Rukn Ad-Deen Beebars started putting the war plan to meet the Christians in Mansoura.
The death of King As-Saalih
On 12 Sha‘baan 647 A.H., the Christians set out from Damietta crossing the Nile southward to Cairo, and it was certain that they should pass by Mansoura as expected by King As-Saalih Ayyoob. On the middle night of Sha‘baan 647 H., As-Saalih Najm Ad-Deen Ayyoob, May Allaah Have mercy upon him, died, while in Mansoura, sharing with his leaders in putting the plan to fortify the city, we ask Allaah The Almighty to Forgive him, Bestow mercy upon him, and Give him the reward of the martyrs. According to Ibn Taghri Bardi, the author of An-Nujoom Az-Zaahirah Fee Mulook Misr Wal-Qaahirah (d874 A.H.), "If Sultan As-Saalih Najm Ad-Deen Ayyoob had no good deed other than his fortitude when meeting the enemy in Mansoura, even though he was suffering from such chronic diseases, and then his death while involved in Jihaad and the defense of the Muslims, it would be sufficient for him…how patient, persevering and excessively valorous he was!"
It was a dangerous calamity on the Muslims, not only for the loss of their leader, but also for the lack of his alternative and successor, especially at this critical time and under those difficult circumstances, with the seaport of Damietta being occupied, and the Crusader soldiers on the way.
The wife of Sultan As-Saalih Najm Ad-Deen behaved very wisely. His wife was Shajarat Ad-Durr, who had previously been a slave-girl of Armenian or Turkish origins, belonging to As-Saalih Najm Ad-Deen Ayyoob, who emancipated and then married her. She then was closer to the Mamluks.
Comments
Send your comment