Page 172 - Arabian Studies (I)

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156 Arabian Studies I
slaves and the inhabitants of the city on the other. For example, in
788/1386, the Egyptian Amir al-Hdjj arrived outside Mecca accom­
panied by an appointee of the Sultan of Egypt to replace the ruling
Sharif. When the latter came out to welcome the caravan he was
murdered as he knelt to kiss the foot of the camel bearing the
Mahmil,57 In 789 the new Sharif, in his turn, learnt that the
Egyptian Amir al-Hdjj was bringing with him a second nominee of
the Sultan, ostensibly to share the Sharlfate. Fearing that he was to
be arrested, he fled south and waylaid a pilgrim caravan bringing with
it supplies for Mecca, whereupon the Amir al-Hdjj sent the
newly-appointed Sharif to relieve the caravan.58 Again, in 812/1410,
when news that the Amir al-Hdjj had been instructed by the sultan to
remove the reigning Sharif had reached Mecca ahead of the caravan,
the Sharif prepared himself and put an army of 6,000 soldiers on the
alert. Upon the arrival of the Egyptian pilgrims at Mecca, though the
sultan had rescinded his decree beforehand, several clashes took place
between them and the followers of the Sharif.59 Even when the
dismissed Sharif did not offer resistance he usually took to flight
upon the arrival of the Egyptian pilgrimage and, in order to revenge
himself, he sometimes harassed the caravan while it was on its
journey to Medina or returning home. Such retaliations were
particularly conspicuous during the reign of Al-Ghurl (906/1500—
01 — 922/1516), under whose reign the last Amir al-Hdjj appointed
by the Mamluks was installed. For example, in 907, when the
Egyptian Amir al-Hdjj was bringing the robe of honour (khiV ah) to
confirm the appointment of the Sharif of Mecca, he was met en
route by the Sharif’s brother, who tried to persuade the Amir to
install him in Mecca in the Sharif’s place. Fearing the consequences
of a refusal, the Amir agreed, secretly intending to arrest the brother
on arrival at Mecca. When the brother became aware of the Amir's
intention, he left the caravan, gathered together the tribes who
supported him and descended on the Syrian pilgrim caravan, which
was on its way from Medina to Mecca, massacring large numbers of
pilgrims, including women and children. Then, as the Egyptian Amir
al-Hdjj was leading the pilgrims back from Mecca accompanied by the
Sharif, after installing the latter in office, the Egyptian caravan in its
turn was attacked by the rebellious brother, who again massacred
large numbers of pilgrims. He even pursued the Amir himself, who
had abandoned his caravan, to the house of the Qadi of Yanbu\
where he forced the Amir to pay him 5,000 dinars to let him
continue on his way. After this incident, the caravan was attacked
twice by desert tribes in the way back to Cairo.6 0
Among the duties of the Egyptian Amir al-Hdjj, which distin­
guished him from the leaders of the other caravans, was the

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