DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2872#0011
THE MOSQUE OF THE SULTAN BARKOOK,
HE sepulchral mosque of the founder of the second (or Circassian) Memlook dynasty is
comprised in some other views of this series. We have reserved a more particular account
of this king, and of his mosque, for the description of the present Photograph.
The Sultan Aboo-Sa'eed Barkook, surnamed Seyf-ed-Deen ("the sword of the religion"),
"usurped the sovereignty in the year 784 of the Flight (a.d. 1382), with the title of " El-Melik
edh-Dhahir." The king whom he dethroned (the last of the preceding dynasty) regained his
power six years later, but was again dethroned, and put to death, by Barkook. The latter
was thus secured on his throne ; and, after the violent act that marked its commencement, he is recorded
to have ruled justly, and with ability. The most celebrated event of his time was the war which he waged
with the armies of Teemoor-lang, commonly called in Europe "Tamerlane." The Tatar monarch had overrun
the provinces of the old Arab empire, and two ejected rulers had fled to the Egyptian king, while the people
of Edessa had been put to the sword. Barkook relieved Aleppo, reinstated the Sultan of Baghdad, and
strengthened himself by an alliance with the Sultan of Constantinople, Bayazeed (or Bajazet). Teemoor
fortunately entered on his Indian campaigns, or Barkook might have suffered a severe chastisement at his
hands. But the latter was undoubtedly an experienced general, and his army, like his exchequer, was in
a flourishing condition. Besides his military talents he was a learned man, and received the title of "Sheykh"
for his learning and wisdom. Abu-1-Mahasin, called, for distinction's sake, "the historian of Egypt," speaks
highly of his good government and personal abilities. Though addicted to profuseness, he left at his death,
which occurred in the year of the Flight 801 (a.d. 1398-9), a full treasury, and much private property.
The Mosque of Barkook was the first royal mosque built in the Eastern Cemetery of Cairo ; and the
buildings around it are, as we have elsewhere said, those of many of the kings of the dynasty which he
founded. The fashion of selecting this spot as a burial-ground was set by the grandees of the best part
of the preceding dynasty, that of Mohammad, the son of Kala-oon; many of them were buried in it, and
so were some of the learned men of Cairo. After the usual custom of these great cemeteries, the mosques
were soon surrounded by religious houses, khans, and private dwellings, with streets and markets. El-Makreezee
tells us that the tract was formerly used as a horse-course, in which Mohammad, the son of Kala-oon, and
his grandees, exercised themselves in various sports. The king afterwards preferred another spot for this
purpose, and the erection of tombs began in his reign, and went on with such rapidity that before he died—
his reign was a long one—the plain was in a great degree covered with such buildings, and the others that
as we have said, grew up around them. Shortly before Barkook's death, several men, who, though poor,
were distinguished for their piety, had been interred on the site of the present mosque; and the Sultan
commanded that his corpse should be placed "at the feet of these poor men." His dying order was executed,
and he rests under one of the domes with the bodies of his humble subjects.
The mosque was erected by his son Farag, who succeeded him as Sultan. It is of good architecture,
though apparently badly built, and now in a state of great dilapidation. Within it, is a spacious court,
surrounded by handsome colonnades, with two dome-covered sepulchral halls at the extreme angles, and a
small dome over the niche. The latter is very rare in Cairo; indeed, we arc not aware of any other
example. It is just visible above the walls of the mosque in the view. One of the sepulchral halls contains
the bodies of the Sultan and the holy men, as before mentioned ; the other, those of several ladies of his
family. The exterior walls of this mosque on the north and east sides, not visible in the Photograph, are
very massive and grand, displaying the breadth of treatment for which many of the Arab buildings of
Cairo are conspicuous. Between the spectator and the Mosque of Barkook is another tomb of unusual
height. The general proportions, and those of the dome, are decidedly inferior, in many respects, to those
of the generality of Arab buildings ; its character is mixed, and of an uncertain period ; and its date, in
the absence of the name of its founder, is uncertain.
HE sepulchral mosque of the founder of the second (or Circassian) Memlook dynasty is
comprised in some other views of this series. We have reserved a more particular account
of this king, and of his mosque, for the description of the present Photograph.
The Sultan Aboo-Sa'eed Barkook, surnamed Seyf-ed-Deen ("the sword of the religion"),
"usurped the sovereignty in the year 784 of the Flight (a.d. 1382), with the title of " El-Melik
edh-Dhahir." The king whom he dethroned (the last of the preceding dynasty) regained his
power six years later, but was again dethroned, and put to death, by Barkook. The latter
was thus secured on his throne ; and, after the violent act that marked its commencement, he is recorded
to have ruled justly, and with ability. The most celebrated event of his time was the war which he waged
with the armies of Teemoor-lang, commonly called in Europe "Tamerlane." The Tatar monarch had overrun
the provinces of the old Arab empire, and two ejected rulers had fled to the Egyptian king, while the people
of Edessa had been put to the sword. Barkook relieved Aleppo, reinstated the Sultan of Baghdad, and
strengthened himself by an alliance with the Sultan of Constantinople, Bayazeed (or Bajazet). Teemoor
fortunately entered on his Indian campaigns, or Barkook might have suffered a severe chastisement at his
hands. But the latter was undoubtedly an experienced general, and his army, like his exchequer, was in
a flourishing condition. Besides his military talents he was a learned man, and received the title of "Sheykh"
for his learning and wisdom. Abu-1-Mahasin, called, for distinction's sake, "the historian of Egypt," speaks
highly of his good government and personal abilities. Though addicted to profuseness, he left at his death,
which occurred in the year of the Flight 801 (a.d. 1398-9), a full treasury, and much private property.
The Mosque of Barkook was the first royal mosque built in the Eastern Cemetery of Cairo ; and the
buildings around it are, as we have elsewhere said, those of many of the kings of the dynasty which he
founded. The fashion of selecting this spot as a burial-ground was set by the grandees of the best part
of the preceding dynasty, that of Mohammad, the son of Kala-oon; many of them were buried in it, and
so were some of the learned men of Cairo. After the usual custom of these great cemeteries, the mosques
were soon surrounded by religious houses, khans, and private dwellings, with streets and markets. El-Makreezee
tells us that the tract was formerly used as a horse-course, in which Mohammad, the son of Kala-oon, and
his grandees, exercised themselves in various sports. The king afterwards preferred another spot for this
purpose, and the erection of tombs began in his reign, and went on with such rapidity that before he died—
his reign was a long one—the plain was in a great degree covered with such buildings, and the others that
as we have said, grew up around them. Shortly before Barkook's death, several men, who, though poor,
were distinguished for their piety, had been interred on the site of the present mosque; and the Sultan
commanded that his corpse should be placed "at the feet of these poor men." His dying order was executed,
and he rests under one of the domes with the bodies of his humble subjects.
The mosque was erected by his son Farag, who succeeded him as Sultan. It is of good architecture,
though apparently badly built, and now in a state of great dilapidation. Within it, is a spacious court,
surrounded by handsome colonnades, with two dome-covered sepulchral halls at the extreme angles, and a
small dome over the niche. The latter is very rare in Cairo; indeed, we arc not aware of any other
example. It is just visible above the walls of the mosque in the view. One of the sepulchral halls contains
the bodies of the Sultan and the holy men, as before mentioned ; the other, those of several ladies of his
family. The exterior walls of this mosque on the north and east sides, not visible in the Photograph, are
very massive and grand, displaying the breadth of treatment for which many of the Arab buildings of
Cairo are conspicuous. Between the spectator and the Mosque of Barkook is another tomb of unusual
height. The general proportions, and those of the dome, are decidedly inferior, in many respects, to those
of the generality of Arab buildings ; its character is mixed, and of an uncertain period ; and its date, in
the absence of the name of its founder, is uncertain.