Al-Ashraf
Encyclopedia
Al-Ashraf Musa Abu'l-Fath al-Muzaffar ad-Din, called Al-Ashraf (died 27 August 1237) was a ruler of the Ayyubid dynasty
. The son of Sultan Al-Adil I
, Al-Ashraf was installed by his father in Harran
in 1201 as Governor of the Jezireh. After his brother Al-Mu'azzam
's death in 1227, Al-Ashraf was called in by his nephew, Al-Muazzam's son An-Nasir Dawud
, for aid in opposing the aggression of another of Al-Ashraf's brothers, Al-Kamil
of Egypt. Instead, Al-Ashraf and Al-Kamil came to an agreement to divide their nephew's lands between them. Al-Ashraf captured Damascus
in June of 1229 took control of the city. In return, he ceded his lands in Mesopotamia to Al-Kamil
and acknowledged his supremacy, while An-Nasir was satisfied by the possession of a principality centered around Kerak
in the Transjordan region.
Al-Ashraf began to chafe under his brother's authority, and in 1237 allied with Kayqubad I, the Seljuk Sultan of Rûm
, and various other Ayyubid princelings of Syria, against Al-Kamil. However, Kayqubad died early in the summer of that year, and Al-Ashraf himself died on 27 August, breaking up the alliance. Al-Ashraf was succeeded in Damascus by his younger brother, As-Salih Ismail
.
Ayyubid dynasty
The Ayyubid dynasty was a Muslim dynasty of Kurdish origin, founded by Saladin and centered in Egypt. The dynasty ruled much of the Middle East during the 12th and 13th centuries CE. The Ayyubid family, under the brothers Ayyub and Shirkuh, originally served as soldiers for the Zengids until they...
. The son of Sultan Al-Adil I
Al-Adil I
Al-Adil I was an Ayyubid-Egyptian general and ruler of Kurdish descent. From his honorific "Sayf al-Din" he was sometimes known to the Frankish crusaders as "Saphadin".- Life :...
, Al-Ashraf was installed by his father in Harran
Harran
Harran was a major ancient city in Upper Mesopotamia whose site is near the modern village of Altınbaşak, Turkey, 24 miles southeast of Şanlıurfa...
in 1201 as Governor of the Jezireh. After his brother Al-Mu'azzam
Al-Mu'azzam
Al-Mu'azzam 'Isa Sharaf ad-Din was an Ayyubid Sultan who ruled Damascus from 1218 to 1227. The son of Sultan Al-Adil I and nephew of Saladin, founder of the dynasty, Al-Mu'azzam was installed by his father as governor of Damascus in 1201. After his father's death in 1218, Al-Mu'azzam ruled the...
's death in 1227, Al-Ashraf was called in by his nephew, Al-Muazzam's son An-Nasir Dawud
An-Nasir Dawud
An-Nasir Dawud was briefly Ayyubid sultan of Damascus and later Emir of Kerak.An-Nasir Dawud was the son of Al-Mu'azzam, the Ayyubid Sultan of Damascus from 1218 to 1227. On his father's death, An-Nasir succeeded, but soon faced opposition from his uncle, Al-Kamil of Egypt, who made war on him,...
, for aid in opposing the aggression of another of Al-Ashraf's brothers, Al-Kamil
Al-Kamil
Al-Kamil was a Kurdish Ayyubid sultan who ruled North Africa. During his tenure as sultan, the Ayyubids defeated two crusades. In a temporary agreement with the Crusaders, he ceded Jerusalem to the Christians.-Biography:He was the son of sultan al-Adil, a brother of Saladin...
of Egypt. Instead, Al-Ashraf and Al-Kamil came to an agreement to divide their nephew's lands between them. Al-Ashraf captured Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
in June of 1229 took control of the city. In return, he ceded his lands in Mesopotamia to Al-Kamil
Al-Kamil
Al-Kamil was a Kurdish Ayyubid sultan who ruled North Africa. During his tenure as sultan, the Ayyubids defeated two crusades. In a temporary agreement with the Crusaders, he ceded Jerusalem to the Christians.-Biography:He was the son of sultan al-Adil, a brother of Saladin...
and acknowledged his supremacy, while An-Nasir was satisfied by the possession of a principality centered around Kerak
Kerak
Kerak Castle is a large crusader castle located in Kerak in Jordan. It is one of the largest crusader castles in the Levant.Construction of the castle began in the 1140s, under Pagan, the butler of Fulk of Jerusalem. The Crusaders called it Crac des Moabites or "Karak in Moab", as it is frequently...
in the Transjordan region.
Al-Ashraf began to chafe under his brother's authority, and in 1237 allied with Kayqubad I, the Seljuk Sultan of Rûm
Sultanate of Rûm
The Sultanate of Rum , also known as the Anatolian Seljuk State , was a Turkic state centered in in Anatolia, with capitals first at İznik and then at Konya. Since the court of the sultanate was highly mobile, cities like Kayseri and Sivas also functioned at times as capitals...
, and various other Ayyubid princelings of Syria, against Al-Kamil. However, Kayqubad died early in the summer of that year, and Al-Ashraf himself died on 27 August, breaking up the alliance. Al-Ashraf was succeeded in Damascus by his younger brother, As-Salih Ismail
As-Salih Ismail
Imad ad-Din "al-Malik as-Salih" Ismail bin Saif ad-Din Ahmad better known as as-Salih Ismail was the Ayyubid sultan based in Damascus in 1237 then in 1239-45.- Sultan of Damascus :...
.
See also
- Aqsab MosqueAqsab MosqueThe Aqsab Mosque is an Ayyubid-era mosque in Damascus, Syria, located in the vicinity of Bab al-Salam, on Suq Sarouja.-History:The mosque was built by Ayyubid king Al-Ashraf in 1234. It is believed to have been built over a Byzantine church...