Al-Bidayah wa an-Nihayah - Ibn Kathir - (14/261)

Al-Bidayah wa an-NihayahIbn Kathir

the Dār al-ʿAqīqī, which was later converted into a madrasa (1) for al-Malik al-Ẓāhir (2).

The qadi and the leading notables of Damascus came to greet the Sultan (3) and found in him the very height of graciousness. At that time the castellan of the Citadel was the eunuch Jamāl al-Dīn Rayḥān, the chamberlain. Saladin kept corresponding with him, coaxing and courting him in every possible way until he won him over (4) and rewarded him most generously. Rayḥān therefore surrendered the Citadel, journeyed to the Sultan, and stood in his presence. The Sultan then descended to receive him, honored and esteemed him, treated him well, and al-Malik al-Nāṣir (5) declared himself the one most entitled to undertake the upbringing (6) of Nūr al-Dīn’s son because of the firm favors (7) he had already bestowed upon them. He reminded them that in Egypt (8) he had ordered the Friday sermon to be delivered in Nūr al-Dīn’s name and had minted coins bearing his inscription. Thereafter he dealt kindly with the people (9), abolished all tolls and taxes that had been introduced after Nūr al-Dīn, enforced the prescribed penalties (ḥudūd), enjoined what is right and forbade what is wrong; and to Allah belongs the final outcome of affairs.

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Once Damascus in its entirety had settled under his control, he did not delay (10) but hastened (11) toward Aleppo, for it was rife with turmoil and disorder. Over Damascus he appointed as his deputy his brother Ṭughtakīn (12) ibn Ayyūb, known as Sayf al-Islām. When he passed through Homs he captured its suburb, but did not concern himself with the citadel, confident that it would eventually submit.

(1) Its name is the Madrasah al-Zahiriyya al-Jawāniyya, located north of Bab al-Barīd beside the Umayyad Mosque. I note that it still exists today and is now known as Dar al-Kutub al-Zahiriyya (the Zahiriyya Library), the first public library in Damascus. It stands opposite the former Arabic Language Academy building. (Munādamat al-Aṭlāl, p. 119) (2) In the T edition: “...which the ruler al-Zahir Baybars had built as a madrasa.” He was Sultan al-Zahir Rukn al-Dīn Abu al-Fath Baybars al-Ṣāliḥī al-Najmī, one of the mamluks of al-Malik al-Ṣāliḥ Najm al-Dīn Ayyūb. He assumed power after the killing of Qutuz in 658 AH and began constructing the structure known as Dar al-Aqīqī in 676 AH to serve as his school and burial place. (Wafayāt al-A‘yān, 4:155; Munādamat al-Aṭlāl, p. 119) (3) In the T edition: “and the town’s notables came to pay their respects to him.” (4) In the T edition, in both instances: “fa-kātibahu” (“so he corresponded with him”). (5) In the T edition, in both instances: “al-sulṭān” (“the Sultan”). (6) The phrase “between two sieges” is not present in B. (7) In the T edition: “lamma li-Nur al-Dīn.” (8) In the T edition: “bi-l-diyār al-miṣriyya” (“in the Egyptian lands”). (9) In the T edition: “then indeed the Sultan treated the people with benevolence and ordered the annulment of what he had instituted.” (10) Not found in T. (11) Present only in T. (12) His biography will appear under the events of 593 AH in this volume.

وهي التي بنيت مدرسة (١) للملك الظاهر (٢) . [وجاء القاضي وأعيان الدماشقة للسلام على السلطان] (٣) فرأوا منه غاية الإحسان. وكان نائب القلعة إِذ ذاك الطواشي جمال الدين ريحان الخادم، [فلم يزل يكاتبه، ويفتل له في الذروة والغارب، حتى استماله] (٤) ، وأجزل نواله، فسلمها إِليه، ووفد عليه، ومثل بين يديه [ثم نزل إِليه فأكرمه واحترمه، وأحسن إِليه، وأظهر الملك الناصر (٥) أنه أحق بتربية] (٦) ولد نور الدين لما له (٧) عليهم من الإحسان المتين، وذكر أنه خطب لنور الدين بديار (٨) مصر، وضرب باسمه السكة، ثم عامل (٩) الناس بالجميل، وأمر بوضع ما كان أحدث بعد نور الدين من المكوس والضرائب وأقام الحدود، وأمر بالمعروف ونهى عن المنكر، ولله عاقبة الأمور. [فصل] فلما استقرّت له دمشق بحذافيرها، [لم يلبث] (١٠) أن نهض إِلى حلب [مسرعًا] (١١) لما فيها من التخبيط والتخليط، فاستناب على دمشق أخاه طغتكين (١٢) بن أيوب الملقب بسيف الإسلام. فلما اجتاز بحمص أخذ ربضها، ولم يشتغل بقلعتها، لعلمه بحصولها.

(١) واسمها المدرسة الظاهرية الجوانية، وتقع شمال باب البريد بجوار الجامع الأموي. قلت: ولا تزال إِلى عصرنا الحاضر وتعرف اليوم بدار الكتب الظاهرية، وهي أول مكتبة عامة في دمشق. وتقع مقابل بناء مجمع اللغة العربية سابقًا. منادمة الأطلال (١١٩). (٢) ط: التي بناها الملك للظاهر بيبرس مدرسة. وهو السلطان الملك الظاهر ركن الدين أبو الفتح بيبرس الصالحي النجمي، أحد مماليك الملك الصالح نجم الدين أيوب تولى المحكمة بعد قتل قطز سنة ٦٥٨، وشرع في بناء الدار التي تعرف بدار العقيقي سنة ٦٧٦ هـ لتجعل مدرسة وتربة له. وفيات الأعيان (٤/ ١٥٥) ومنادمة الأطلال (١١٩). (٣) ط: وجاء أعيان البلد للسلام عليه. (٤) مكانهما في ط: فكاتبه. (٥) مكانهما في ط: السلطان. (٦) ما بين حاصرتين ليس في ب. (٧) ط: لما لنور الدين. (٨) ط: بالديار المصرية. (٩) ط: ثم إِن السلطان عامل الناس بالإحسان وأمر بإِبطال ما أحدث. (١٠) ليس في ط. (١١) عن ط وحدها. (١٢) سترد ترجمته في حوادث سنة ٥٩٣ من هذا الجزء.