Page 166 - Arabian Studies (I)

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tells us that the people of Damascus rejoiced at the consequent
profitable revival of many crafts that had fallen into disuse as a result
of the suspension of the Syrian pilgrimage. 2 9
When Barasbay during his reign (825—41/1422- 38), decided to
monopolise the traffic in the Indian trade — especially the pepper
trade with the West, 3 0 and make Cairo the centre of that trade — he
attempted to make the Egyptian pilgrim caravan the only com­
mercial caravan during the pilgrimage. To carry out his plans, he
issued a decree in 830/1427 which he ordered to be proclaimed
during the ceremonies at ‘Arafat. In this decree he ordered that all
merchants, whether of the Egyptian caravan or of any other, should
accompany the Egyptian pilgrimage on its return to Cairo, where
they would have to be taxed before they were allowed to return to
their own countries. 3 1 As protests against this decree were made by
merchants of the Syrian caravans, the sultan tried to modify it in the
following year (831/1428). Under the new decree a payment of three
and a half dinars was to be made by the merchants of all caravans,
except that of Egypt, for each camel-load of goods purchased at
Jiddah, upon which they would no longer need to go to Cairo. In
spite of this alternative the merchants of all caravans were pursued in
832/1429 and forced to accompany the Egyptians to Cairo, where
they were taxed before returning to their own countries to be taxed
for a second time. 3 2
In the diplomatic field the position of the two cities contributed
to the forming of close friendly relations between the Mamluk
sultans and other sovereigns, whose caravans were often accompanied
by embassies and gifts which were reciprocated by the Mamluks. 3 3
The pilgrimage of the African Mansa Musa, king of Mali, left such
an impression upon the people of Cairo that, even 12 years later, it
was still a favourite topic of conversation. Historians, too, both
contemporary and later, showed a special interest in this particular
pilgrimage and most of them do not neglect to relate it. Among those
contemporary with the event Ibn Fadl Allah aI-‘UmarT has left a
detailed account of the king’s arrival at Cairo, his audience with the
Mamluk Sultan al-Nasir and the economic effect in Cairo of Musa’s
pilgrimage. According to Al-‘UmarI,34 writing on the authority of
some dignitaries of Al-Nasir’s court, King Musa had carried with him
from his country for his expenditure one hundred camel-loads of
gold, some of which he distributed among the tribes along the road
from his country to Mecca. He presented the sultan’s treasury with
raw gold and distributed considerable amounts among the high
officials. The circulation of gold became so great in Cairo on this
occasion that the value of gold fell from 25 dirhams per mithqal to

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