Mamluk princes scholars (Prince Arghun Al-Dawadar d. 731 AH/1330 AD as a model(

Abstract

The Mamluk rule in Egypt, the Levant, and the Hejaz is considered one of the most important eras of the late Islamic era. The Mamluks were able to restore the Islamic world's political, military, and cultural standing through their victories and achievements. This was particularly true given their assumption of power following the Mongol invasion of the Islamic East and the fall of the Abbasid Caliphate in Baghdad. The Mamluks were able to halt the Mongol invasion at the borders of the Levant, inflicting the first military defeat on the Mongols. Furthermore, the remnants of the Crusader occupation remained in the Levant, which the Mamluks also played a role in ending. Perhaps those who follow this matter will find that among the most important secrets of the Mamluks' success lie not only in their strength and the strict military and soldiering traditions they were raised upon; rather, they were also raised in their religious and scholarly upbringing and education, and the interest their sultans and princes placed in learning and scholars, unlike the Turks of Baghdad, who were simply soldiers and warriors and paid little attention to learning. Thus, the Mamluk era witnessed a scientific and cultural renaissance that distinguished their era. Not only did the Mamluks encourage and care for the scientific movement, but they also included scholars, jurists, hadith scholars, writers, and historians. This was not limited to the general public; Mamluk sultans and princes were scholars in jurisprudence, hadith, history, and literature. They combined military service, leadership, sound religious doctrine, and knowledge. This was one of the most important factors in their political and military strength, the scientific renaissance that their era witnessed, and their stature, which gained acceptance among Islamic public opinion. There are many examples of Mamluk scholars who combined military service, leadership, and knowledge. This research sheds light on one such example: Prince Arghun al-Dawadar (d. 731 AH/1330 AD), one of the Mamluks of King al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun. He purchased him, raised him, and educated him until he was made a Dawadar. He then appointed him as the deputy governor of Egypt for about sixteen years, and then as the deputy governor of Aleppo. He was a scholarly prince who worked hard and persevered, wrote calligraphy, heard Sahih al-Bukhari and wrote it down in his own handwriting. He excelled in jurisprudence and its principles, and was authorized to issue fatwas and teach. He was an eloquent Turk, who loved scholars and held them in high esteem. He had many achievements, stances, and accomplishments, which we will address in this research, relying on historical sources, extracting texts from them, extrapolating them, and analyzing them according to the methodology of historical scientific research.