Un « nouvel Alexandre » mamelouk, al-Malik al-Ashraf Khalïl et le regain eschatologique du XIIIe siècle

In the long inscription that runs above the main entrance of thefortress in Aleppo, the Mamluk sultan al-Malik al-Ashraf Khalil (689/1290-692/1294) is called “the Alexander of his time”. Though he was neither the first nor the only Mamluk sovereign to use this title (Baybars apparently first introdu...

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Main Author: François de Polignac
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Université de Provence 2000-07-01
Series:Revue des Mondes Musulmans et de la Méditerranée
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/remmm/273
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author François de Polignac
author_facet François de Polignac
author_sort François de Polignac
collection DOAJ
description In the long inscription that runs above the main entrance of thefortress in Aleppo, the Mamluk sultan al-Malik al-Ashraf Khalil (689/1290-692/1294) is called “the Alexander of his time”. Though he was neither the first nor the only Mamluk sovereign to use this title (Baybars apparently first introduced it), al-Malik al-Ashraf gave it a specific meaning inspired by his own military successes and his hopes of recovering the lands seized by the Mongols in 1258. The Mongol kings of the Ilkhan dynasty who reigned over Persia and Irak would themselves be compared with Alexander in the early 14th century, but their claim was inspired by the legends which, since Ferdowsi's Shàh-nâma, had reshaped the Macedonian king into the figure of a national hero. The Alexander whom al-Malik al-Ashraf was referring to was closer to the inspired “He with the double horn” (Dhü l-Qarnayn) of the Coran, who had built the wall enclosing the wicked tribes of Gog and Magog until the Judgment-day. Thus, the victorious sultan who was preparing to expel from Irak the Mongols assimilated to Gog and Magog, and to reestablish the Abbassid califate in Bagdad, could give the dimension of eschatology to his deeds and appear both as a universal conqueror and the founder of a new era of islam.
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spelling doaj-art-aa7176c26e8440d29c7d2e97c7ec22782025-08-20T03:40:33ZengUniversité de ProvenceRevue des Mondes Musulmans et de la Méditerranée0997-13272105-22712000-07-0189738710.4000/remmm.273Un « nouvel Alexandre » mamelouk, al-Malik al-Ashraf Khalïl et le regain eschatologique du XIIIe siècleFrançois de PolignacIn the long inscription that runs above the main entrance of thefortress in Aleppo, the Mamluk sultan al-Malik al-Ashraf Khalil (689/1290-692/1294) is called “the Alexander of his time”. Though he was neither the first nor the only Mamluk sovereign to use this title (Baybars apparently first introduced it), al-Malik al-Ashraf gave it a specific meaning inspired by his own military successes and his hopes of recovering the lands seized by the Mongols in 1258. The Mongol kings of the Ilkhan dynasty who reigned over Persia and Irak would themselves be compared with Alexander in the early 14th century, but their claim was inspired by the legends which, since Ferdowsi's Shàh-nâma, had reshaped the Macedonian king into the figure of a national hero. The Alexander whom al-Malik al-Ashraf was referring to was closer to the inspired “He with the double horn” (Dhü l-Qarnayn) of the Coran, who had built the wall enclosing the wicked tribes of Gog and Magog until the Judgment-day. Thus, the victorious sultan who was preparing to expel from Irak the Mongols assimilated to Gog and Magog, and to reestablish the Abbassid califate in Bagdad, could give the dimension of eschatology to his deeds and appear both as a universal conqueror and the founder of a new era of islam.https://journals.openedition.org/remmm/273
spellingShingle François de Polignac
Un « nouvel Alexandre » mamelouk, al-Malik al-Ashraf Khalïl et le regain eschatologique du XIIIe siècle
Revue des Mondes Musulmans et de la Méditerranée
title Un « nouvel Alexandre » mamelouk, al-Malik al-Ashraf Khalïl et le regain eschatologique du XIIIe siècle
title_full Un « nouvel Alexandre » mamelouk, al-Malik al-Ashraf Khalïl et le regain eschatologique du XIIIe siècle
title_fullStr Un « nouvel Alexandre » mamelouk, al-Malik al-Ashraf Khalïl et le regain eschatologique du XIIIe siècle
title_full_unstemmed Un « nouvel Alexandre » mamelouk, al-Malik al-Ashraf Khalïl et le regain eschatologique du XIIIe siècle
title_short Un « nouvel Alexandre » mamelouk, al-Malik al-Ashraf Khalïl et le regain eschatologique du XIIIe siècle
title_sort un nouvel alexandre mamelouk al malik al ashraf khalil et le regain eschatologique du xiiie siecle
url https://journals.openedition.org/remmm/273
work_keys_str_mv AT francoisdepolignac unnouvelalexandremameloukalmalikalashrafkhaliletleregaineschatologiqueduxiiiesiecle