Al-Adil Kitbugha
| Kitbugha كتبغا |
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| Sultan of Egypt and Syria | |||||
| Reign | December 1294 – 7 December 1296 | ||||
| Predecessor | An-Nasir Muhammad | ||||
| Successor | Lajin | ||||
| Died | 1297 Hama |
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| Dynasty | Bahri | ||||
| Full name | |
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| al-Malik al-Adil Zayn-ad-Din Kitbugha Ben Abd-Allah al-Mansuri al-Turki al-Mughli |
Kitbugha (Arabic: كتبغا ) (Royal name: al-Malik al-Adil Zayn-ad-Din Kitbugha Ben Abd-Allah al-Mansuri al-Turki al-Mughli ( Arabic: الملك العادل زين الدين كتبغا بن عبد الله المنصورى التركى المغلى)) ( d. 1297, Hama ), was the 10th Mamluk Sultan of Egypt from December 1294 to November 1296.
He was originally a Oirat-Mongol soldier in the Ilkhanid army of Hulagu. He was taken prisoner during the First Battle of Homs in 1260. He was purchased by Qalawun and became one of his Mamluks then later Qalawun manumitted him and granted him the rank of Emir.
During the reign of Qalawun's son Sultan Al-Ashraf Khalil, he was arrested and released. In 1293, after the assassination of Al-Ashraf Khalil, Kitbugha became the Vice-Sultan and Regent of Sultan Al-Nasir Muhammad. With Emir Sanjar al-Shuja'i he was effectively the ruler of Egypt as Al-Nasir Muhammad was only 9 years old. But Kitbugha faced rivalry from and had a poor relationship with al-Shuja'i who was an Al-Nasir's Vizier. al-Shujai, with the support of the Burji Mamluks, planned to arrest Kitbugha and assassinate his emirs, but Kitbugha was informed about al-Shuja'i's plan by a Tatar named Qunghar. Kitbugha lay siege to the Citadel with the support of the Genghis-Khanites and the Shahrzuri Kurds. However, he was defeated by the Burji Mamluks and had to flee to Bilbays. He later returned to Cairo and lay siege to the Citadel again after his emirs defeated the Burjis. Kitbugha's siege of the Citadel lasted for seven days with daily clashes with the Sultani Mamluks and al-Shuja'i supporters. Many of al-Shuja'i's emirs moved over to Kitbugha's side. The emirs of Kitbugha informed Sultan Al-Nassir Muhammed's mother that the dispute was between them and al-Shuja'i and not with her son. So she locked the gates of the Citadel with al-Shuja'i trapped in his house outside the Citadel. After that more of his Emirs deserted him and moved over to the side of Kitbugha. al-Shuja'i, who was not popular among the Egyptians, was killed while he was on his way to the Citadel to discuss the dispute. When the gate of the Citadel was unlocked Kitbugha and his emirs went in. Kitbugha's followers who were imprisoned by al-Shuja'i were freed and many Burji Mamluks who supported al-Shuja'i were either arrested or removed from the Citadel. al-Shuja'i's properties in the Levant were seized and his deputies there were arrested.
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