SOAS Research Online

Abstract

This article argues that Louis IX’s crusade, defeats, and captivity shaped the attempts of Sultan al-Malik al-Muʿaẓẓam Ghiyāth al-Dīn Tūrānshāh (d. 648/1250) and amīr Ḥusām al-Dīn ibn Abī ʿAlī al-Hadhabānī (d. 658/1260) to gain power in Egypt. It highlights how Louis IX’s captivity was used by Tūrānshāh to consolidate his short-lived rule, provided the Mamluks with the right circumstances to assassinate their sultan, and offered Ḥusām al-Dīn a chance to serve the post-Ayyubid regime by securing the return of Damietta to the Muslims and the payment of Louis IX’s ransom. Louis IX’s intransigence and continuous refusal to consider a peace agreement and unreasonable demands before he was captured, and his constant stalling and discourteous comportment during his captivity influenced the transition from Ayyubid to Mamluk sultanate, offering the Mamluks opportunity after opportunity to present themselves as protectors of the Egyptian realm. Lastly, this article brings to light new evidence related to the nature and timing of the Mamluk coup against Tūrānshāh and the identity of some of the conspirators who enabled it.