—the son of their former master, al-Nasir Yusuf ibn al-ʿAziz Muhammad ibn al-Zahir Ghazi ibn al-Nasir Yusuf, the conqueror of Jerusalem (1)—and with him were other Ayyubid kings who happened to be present: al-Salih Ismaʿil ibn al-ʿAdil, who by reason of his seniority, wide‐ranging merits, sanctity, and leadership was the most entitled of them to the throne; al-Nasir Dawud ibn al-Muʿaẓẓam ibn al-ʿAdil; al-Ashraf Musa ibn al-Mansur Ibrahim ibn Asad al-Din Shirkuh, once lord of Homs; and others besides.

They marched to Damascus, besieged it, and captured it swiftly. The residence of Ibn Yaghmur was plundered and he himself was confined in the Citadel, while they took possession of the surrounding districts—Baalbek, Busra, al-Salt, [Ajlun] and Salkhad. But (2) Karak and Shawbak defied them under al-Mughith ʿUmar ibn al-ʿAdil ibn al-Kamil, who had seized the two fortresses during the turmoil (3) that followed the murder of al-Muʿaẓẓam Turanshah. The Egyptians invited him to become their ruler, yet, fearing the fate that had befallen his cousin, (4) he refused to go to them.

When the Aleppans had secured Damascus and its environs, al-Nasir took his seat in the Citadel and reassured the populace. They then rode on to Gaza, intending to assume control of Egypt, but the Egyptian army came out against them and a fierce battle ensued. At first the Egyptians were routed, to the point that al-Nasir’s name was proclaimed in the Friday sermon there (5). Soon, however, the tide turned against the Syrians: they broke ranks, many of their leading men were captured (6), and al-Salih Ismaʿil—may Allah Most High have mercy on him—was lost from the army (7).

At this juncture Shaykh Abu Shamah quoted someone’s verses (8):

Ismaʿil squandered our wealth,
And laid waste the dwelling for no reason;
From Damascus he departed—such was the reward
Of one who impoverished the people yet never enriched himself.

A brief notice of al-Salih Abu al-Khaysh (9) Ismaʿil (10), founder of the mausoleum of Umm al-Salih. Al-Salih—may Allah have mercy on him—was an intelligent, resolute ruler whose fortunes underwent many reversals (11). Al-Ashraf had bequeathed Damascus to him, and he held it for several months before his brother al-Kamil wrested it from his hands.