Sunqur al-Ashqar
Shams al-Din Sunqur al-Ashqar al-Salihi (Arabic: شمس الدين سنقر الأشقر الصالحي; c. 1223–1293) was the Mamluk viceroy of Damascus in 1279–1280, who attempted to rule Syria independently, in a rebellion against the Egypt-based sultan Qalawun (r. 1279–1290).
Sunqur and Qalawun were associates of the powerful deputy of Mamluk sultan Aybak (r. 1250–1257), Faris al-Din Aktay.
Baybars, by now having returned to Egypt under the new sultan Qutuz, led the Mamluk victory against the Mongols in Syria at the Battle of Ain Jalut, capturing most of the region in 1260.
Sunqur initially reacted with hesitation at the prospect of being released to Baybars, as he feared punishment for his previous defection from him during their service with the Ayyubids.
[4] According to the historian Linda Northrup, the effort to release Sunqur was an indication of the high regard Baybars held for him.
[8] Sunqur eventually gained the good graces of al-Sa'id's khushdashiyya, who supported his promotion to the office of viceroy of the sultan.
This was probably due to Sunqur's willingness to allow al-Sa'id's loyalists to pilfer the state coffers in exchange for their support.
[5] While the office of viceroy of Syria brought Sunqur control over substantial wealth, fortresses, and troops, as well as eminence among the other mamluks, he probably viewed the appointment as a move by Qalawun to sideline him from the center of power in Cairo and remove him as a potential rival to the sultanate.
Nevertheless, in December 1279, Qalawun's name was pronounced in the Friday prayer sermons in Syria's cities, a formal recognition of his sultanate in Sunqur's domains.
In early 1280, Sunqur declared himself independent by adopting the regnal title al-Malik al-Kamil, leading a royal procession in Damascus, and having his name read in the Friday prayer sermons.
[15] Sunqur gained a fatwa from the scholar Ibn Khallikan of Damascus, permitting him to challenge the Egyptian army.
[18] Sunqur, while having fought with distinction, was deprived of his mamluk troops and retreated with the Bedouins of Isa ibn Muhanna and a small coterie of loyalists to the fortress of al-Rahba, along the Euphrates.
[20] Mamluk troops soon after pursued Sunqur, who thereafter left Isa ibn Muhanna's company in the Syrian desert for refuge in the castle of Sahyun, near the Crusader-held port city of Latakia in the northern coastal mountains of Syria.
In any case, Sunqur and his relatively small detachment of troops joined the Mamluk army assembled at Hama, but without integrating under its command.
[22] The Mongols captured Aleppo, which had been abandoned by its inhabitants and Mamluk garrison, but withdrew two days later, after which the Muslim troops at Hama pursued them.
The Mongols' abandonment of their invasion was ascribed by the sources to the unexpected defection of Sunqur, the assembly of a large Mamluk force at Hama, or the demonstration of power by Qalawun.
Qalawun hurried to confront the challenge, setting up camp with the emirs of the Mamluk armies of Egypt and Syria at a site near Homs.
The sultan gave him the highest rank, amir mi'a, muqaddam alf (emir of one hundred cavalry, commander of one thousand mamluks).
As the sultan still lacked full support among the mamluk factions, he aimed to gain their goodwill by giving Sunqur and the sons of Baybars considerable freedom and benefits.
[30] Sunqur initially enjoyed close ties with Qalawun's successor, his son al-Ashraf Khalil (r. 1290–1293), who promised to restore to him the fortress of Sahyun.
