Kanz ed-Dawla

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Kanz ed-Dawla († 1333 in Alt Dunqula ) was the first Muslim king of the Nubian Empire of Makuria , who managed to stay in power for a long time. He ruled in 1317 and from 1324 to around 1333.

Life

Kanz ed-Dawla was nephew of the last Christian king Kernabes and intended as the son of his sister as heir to the throne. When Nubia was attacked again by an Egyptian army led by the Mamluk ruler Al-Malik an-Nasir Muhammad , Kernabes proposed an early succession to the throne of his Muslim nephew. Al-Malik an-Nasir Muhammad refused to agree and marched in 1315 on Alt Dunqula, the capital of Makuria. He took the city and put a relative of Kernabes', Barschanbu, on the throne, who was also a Muslim. However, perchanbu was not very popular with the Nubians. When Kanz ed-Dawla - who was living in Cairo at the time - went to Aswan to collect taxes for water paddles (sakias) , he was welcomed with great joy on the border on the Nubian side and was crowned as an anti-king. He then marched to Alt Dunqula, defeated and killed Barschanbu and took the Makurian capital, where he performed the official duties of the king, but did not allow himself to be crowned out of respect for his uncle Kernabes.

Al-Malik an-Nasir Muhammad now sent Abram, the brother of Kernabes, to Nubia to recall Kanz ed-Dawla to Cairo. Kanz ed-Dawla followed him, but was chained at Gebel Adda (Arabic Daw ) by Abram for the purpose of an early extradition to Al-Malik an-Nasir Muhammad. Kanz ed-Dawla was now freed from his own subjects and subsequently also accepted the royal crown.

He then sought support from the Arabs of the desert against the Mamluks, at the same time an army of the Mamluks passed through Nubia, but no fighting is reported and this army was back in Cairo in August 1317.

Kanz ed-Dawla was attacked out of Egypt by Kernabes in 1323 (or 1322) and temporarily overthrown. Kernabes' reign ended, however, with the withdrawal of the troops supporting him. Then Kanz ed-Dawla was able to regain power and ruled until 1333.

rating

Kanz ed-Dawla was the first Muslim ruler of Makuria, whose government actions also had an effect. However, this was only an externally visible milestone in the Islamization of Nubia, which had been advancing for decades through Egyptian interventions and the immigration of Bedouin tribes, and there are no signs of its being accelerated under his rule. At least there is an Arabic dedication inscription in the throne hall of Alt Dunqula, which reports that it was converted into a mosque in 1317, under Kanz ed-Dawla. According to contemporary Ibn Khaldun , the Nubians stopped paying the jizya because they converted to Islam.

See also

literature

personal data
SURNAME Kanz ed-Dawla
BRIEF DESCRIPTION nubian king
DATE OF BIRTH 13th century or 14th century
DATE OF DEATH 1333
Place of death Old Dunqula