Hulagu summoned next to obedience Saïd Nedjmud din el Gazi, Prince of Mardin. That prince sent his son, Mozaffer Kar Arslan, his chief judge, and an emir with presents, and a letter in which he alleged severe illness as his excuse for not giving personal homage. Hulagu sent the following answer, making the judge go alone with it to his master: “The prince says that he is ill, he says this because he fears Nassir of Syria, and thinks that if I should triumph he must be friendly with me hence he feigns this illness, and if I fail he will be on good terms with Nassir.”
The son of Bedr ud din Lulu was sent against Amid. Hulagu himself took Nisibin. He had encamped close to Harran, and received the submission of its people, who were spared, as were also the inhabitants of Koha, who followed the example of Harran; but the people of Sarudj, who sent no deputation to beg for their lives, were cut down with the sword every man of them.
Hulagu’s march spread dismay throughout Syria. Prince Nassir had spent his time thus far in discussing with Mogith. The year before a corps of three thousand horsemen came to Syria; these were deserters from Hulagu’s army, so called Sheherzurians, doubtless Kurds of Sheherzur. Nassir took these men to his service, and gave them good treatment; on hearing that they wished to desert him for Mogith he doubled his bounty, but still they passed over to Mogith. With these men and the Mameluks Prince Mogith considered that he could master Damascus. Nassir went out to meet him and camped near Lake Ziza. He staid there six months discussing conditions with Mogith, through envoys. It was agreed at last that the latter would yield up his Mameluks to Nassir, and discharge the Bahriyes.
This treaty concluded, Nassir went back to Damascus. On learning that Hulagu was at Harran, he consulted his generals and resolved on resistance. Nassir fixed his camp at Berze, a short distance north of Damascus, but he could not confide in his army; volunteers, Turks and Arabs, he knew that his generals [[262]]and soldiers greatly feared Hulagu’s victors. He himself was a man of weak character who roused no respect in his army.
Seeing Nassir’s alarm, Zein ud din el Hafizzi, the vizir, extolled Hulagu’s greatness and counseled submission. Indignant at this an emir, Beibars Bundukdar, sprang up one day, rushed at the vizir, struck the man, cursed him, and said that he was a traitor seeking the destruction of Islam. Zein ud din complained to Nassir of these insults. Nassir himself was assailed that same night in a garden, by Mameluks, who had determined to cut him down immediately, and choose a new Sultan; he barely succeeded in fleeing to the citadel, but returned later on to the camp at the prayer of his officers. Beibars left for Gaza whence he sent an officer named Taibars to Mansur the new sovereign of Egypt with his oath of fidelity.
At a council, held to discuss coming perils, it was settled without any dissent, that the prince, his officers, and his warriors should send their families to Egypt. Nassir sent thither his wife, a daughter of Kei Kobad, the Seljuk Sultan, he sent also his son, and his treasures. Next followed the wives, sons and daughters of officers, and a great throng of people. The fears of individuals were communicated to the army, officers went, as if to take farewell of their families, but many of those officers never returned to their places. Thus Nassir’s army was disbanded.
Nassir now asked assistance of Mogith, and besides sent Sahib Kemal ud din Omar to Cairo to obtain aid from the Sultan. Eibeg had just been slain by the hands of Shejer ud dur, his wife, who, convinced that he was ready to slay her, had been too quick for him. Prompt punishment was inflicted: Shejer was given to the widow of Sultan Aziz, who, assisted by eunuchs and females, beat her to death, stripped her body and hurled it over the wall to the moat of the fortress, where it lay several days without clothing or burial.
Eibeg’s son, Mansur, a boy fifteen years of age, was raised to the throne, with Aktai, a former comrade of his father, as guardian, or Atabeg, to be followed soon by Kutuz, who had once been a slave of his. When Nassir’s envoy arrived the Egyptian general held council in presence of the Sultan. At the council this question was put to the chief judge and the elders: “Is it possible to levy a legal war tax on the nation?” The answer was that after needless [[263]]objects of value had been taken from people, and sold, a tax might be levied. This was accepted by the council. The Sultan was a boy who had been spoiled by his mother, hence was unfitted for rule at that terrible period. Kutuz desired supreme power and was ready to seize it as soon as the generals would start for Upper Egypt. When they had gone he imprisoned the Sultan with his brother and mother, and was then proclaimed sovereign.
Captured by Mongols in boyhood, Kutuz had been sold in Damascus, and later in Cairo. He declared himself a nephew of the Kwaresmian ruler, Shah Mohammed. Manumitted by Moizz ud din Eibeg he added El Moizzi to his name, thus following the Mameluk custom.
When generals condemned Kutuz for taking the dignity from Mansur he referred to Hulagu, and the fear caused by Prince Nassir of Syria. “All I wish is to drive out the Mongols. Can we do that without a leader? When we have driven out this enemy, choose whom you please as the Sultan.” Thus he pacified his rivals and, feeling sure in his power, removed Mansur with his mother and brother to Damietta. In the following reign they were sent to Stambul, the Turkish capital, and remained there.