As for the murdered al-Muʿaẓẓam, they pulled his corpse from the water and left it lying for three days until it bloated. Four men carried out the killing, after which the Friday sermon was proclaimed in the name of Umm Khalil, Shajar al-Durr.

Another account says that al-Bunduqdārī struck him with the sword. Yet another relates that he called out to the caliph’s envoy, crying, “Uncle ʿIzz al-Dīn, save me!” The envoy came and pleaded for him, but they said, “Go back,” and threatened him. A few days later they installed al-Muʿizz the Turcoman as sultan.

In that same year—648 AH—the ruler of Yemen, Sultan Nūr al-Dīn ʿUmar ibn Rasūl al-Turcoman, was killed by his own pages. They set his son, al-Malik al-Muẓaffar Yūsuf ibn ʿUmar, upon the throne, and he reigned for a little over forty years.

In Shaʿbān of that year, the walls of Damietta were demolished, and the city was reduced to the status of a village.

117 – The knight Aqtay (1)

Aqtay rose high and became viceroy of the realm under al-Muʿizz. He was a warrior—brave, generous, handsome, and fond of finery. He had once been sold for a thousand dinars, and among the fiefs granted to him was Alexandria. Yet he was reckless, oppressive, and ever striving for the throne. He would ride in the royal procession without so much as acknowledging al-Muʿizz, and he helped himself to whatever he pleased from the treasuries, even declaring, “Clear the Citadel for me so I can celebrate the wedding of the Emir of Hama’s daughter there!”

Al-Muʿizz therefore set his mamluk Qutuz upon him; Qutuz killed him. About seven hundred of Aqtay’s retainers mounted in alarm, whereupon his severed head was thrown to them. This took place in 652 AH.