Page 174 - Arabian Studies (I)

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158 Arabian Studies I

who assumed the title of Amir al-Rakb al-Awwal, Amir al-IIajj
al-Awwal or simply Amir al-Awwal. As his title indicates, this official
led a caravan of pilgrims which set out from Cairo one day ahead of
the main caravan and was, therefore, known as the Advance Caravan
(Al-Rakb al-Awwal).
Since no text is available to inform us of the appointment of such
an official during the reign of the Bahrl Mamluks, we may assume
the office of Amir al-Awwal to have been established during the
period of the BurjT Mamluks. During the period of the Bahrl
Mamluks, as we have said, the Egyptian pilgrims were, as a rule,
combined into one convoy, led solely by the Amir al-Hdjj, which
travelled under the name of Al-Rakb al-Misrl. From 790/1388, the
year in which the first mention of the Amir al-Awwal occurs in
Muslim annals,69 until the end of the Mamluk period, the Egyptian
pilgrims were divided into two regular caravans. The main one was
known as Rakb al-Malimil which, as its name indicates, accompanied
the Mali mi l, the emblem of the official pilgrim caravan. It was
conducted along its journey by the Amir al-Hdjj and was therefore
accorded more prestige. The minor one, Al-Rakb al-Awwal, was led
by the Amir al-Awwal
The Amir al-Rakb al-Awwal was, like the Amir al-Hdjj, appointed
by the sultan himself. As in the case of the latter, he was chosen
from among the Mamluk military hierarchy, the ‘men of the sword’,
being usually an emir of the third class,70 though sometimes one of
the second. For instance in 869/1465 the Amir al-Hdjj al-Awwal was
an amir tablkhanah (emir of the second class).71 In 857/1453 lie was
;! only a trooper.72
Since we have no specific indication of the extent of the authority
of the Amir al-Rakb al-Awwal, we have only a vague idea of the
functions of his office. However, as he led the Advance Caravan
independently of the caravan of the Mahmil, it seems obvious that he
exercised along the route the same, or at least most of the same
functions as the Amir al-Hdjj. Although, once the pilgrims of the two
caravans arrived at the Holy Cities, the Amir al-Awwal should have
become subordinate to the Amir al-Hdjj, it seems that he still
enjoyed his executive power over the caravan he conducted. This can
be inferred from the following incident which took place in
859/1455. In this year there was doubt among the leaders of the
pilgrims concerning the day on which the month of Dhu al-Hijjah
began. This in turn led to uncertainty about the day of the standing
at Mount ‘Arafat. It is related that the Amir al-Awwal, as a
precaution, halted his caravan for two days at ‘Arafat instead of the
prescribed one day which all the other caravans, including that of the

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