Al-Said Barakah
Al-Said Barakah (1260–1280; original name: Muhammed Barakah Qan (Arabic: محمد بركة قان), royal name: al-Malik al-Said Nasir al-Din Barakah (الملك السعيد ناصر الدين بركة) was a Mamluk Sultan who ruled from 1277 to 1279 after the death of his father Baibars. His mother was a daughter of Barka Khan, a former Khwarazmian amir.
Barakah was born in Cairo. His succession went smoothly, and al-Said set about limiting the power of the amirs from his father's administration. One, his father's viceroy, died under suspicious cir*stances. Others were jailed and then released. In their place, al-Said promoted his own mamluks. He also sent Qalawun and Baysari, two of the most powerful amirs, to raid Cilician Armenia and Qal'at al-Rum in 1279, as a way of keeping them busy and away from the seat of power. Each had 10,000 troops. Al-Said's plan was to have both of them arrested on their return, but another amir, Kuvenduk, warned them of the plan, and when they returned, al-Said was forced to abdicate. His seven-year-old brother Sulamish was placed on the throne in his place, under the guardianship of Qalawun, who became the effective sultan.
Personal life
His only wife was Ghaziya Khatun. She was the daughter of Sultan Qalawun. She was betrothed to him on 28 May 1276, with a dowry of five thousand dinars. The wedding took place on 8 June 1277. She died in August 1288.
Death
Exiled to Al Karak fortress, in Jordan, he died there in 1280.
References
- Reuven Amitai-Preiss (1995), Mongols and Mamluks: The Mamluk-Īlkhānid War, 1260-1281, pp.:179–225. Cambridge University Press, ISBN:0-521-46226-6.