When Sunday, the 27th of Dhu al-Hijjah, dawned, word reached Damascus that Emir Rukn al-Din Baybars al-Ahmadi (1), the deputy-governor of Safad, had mounted with his mamluks, servants, and all who obeyed him and had ridden out, fleeing arrest.
It was reported that the deputy of Gaza had set out to seize him on the strength of a royal decree that had reached him from al-Karak; because of this, al-Ahmadi took flight. When the news arrived in Damascus—which at that moment had no deputy-governor—the emirs were alarmed. They gathered in Dar al-Saʿadah, consulted together, and then dispatched an emir toward the Baalbek region to keep him from disappearing into the desert.
At daybreak on Monday fresh news came that he was in the environs of al-Kiswah, with nothing to prevent his escape. All the emirs mounted, and a crier proclaimed, “Whoever among the troops lags behind this mobilization shall be hanged.” They set out in force toward al-Kiswah and sent envoys to him, but he offered an excuse for his departure and eluded them. The day slipped past, and they returned, having ridden out in full armor on a sweltering day with provisions enough for no more than that single day.
On the night before Tuesday the emirs again set out in pursuit of him by way of Thaniyyat al-ʿUqab. They came back the next day with him in their company, whereupon he lodged in the palaces that Tankiz—may Allah have mercy on him—had built along the Darayya road. He remained there, and they settled upon him a full allowance of barley, sheep, and whatever else someone of his rank required; his mamluks and attendants stayed with him (2).
When Tuesday, the 6th of Muharram, arrived, a letter from the sultan was delivered and read before the emirs in Dar al-Saʿadah. It instructed them to show him honor and respect and to pardon him in view of his past service to Sultan al-Malik al-Nasir and to the latter’s son al-Malik al-Mansur.
Yet on Wednesday, the 7th of Muharram, another letter (3) reached Emir Rukn al-Din Baybars, the deputy-in-absence, son of the hajib Almas (4), commanding him to arrest al-Ahmadi. Accordingly, the army mounted in battle gear on Thursday, galloped to the parade-ground, and sent messengers to him—while he, for his part, had ridden out with his mamluks in full number and openly refused compliance. His reply was: “I will listen to and obey only the one who is king over the Egyptian lands. As for a man who is sitting in al-Karak, from whom issue the deeds now spoken of everywhere by travelers, I will not.” When the emirs heard this they hesitated, calmed the matter, and returned to their residences, while he returned to his palace (5).