Nazr Mohammed, who died in 1341, distinguished himself by the protection which he granted to agriculture and the arts.
In 1348 a pestilence appeared in Egypt, or perhaps originally in Syria, which spread over a great part of Europe.
A.D. 1365. In October, Peter de Lusignan, king of Cyprus, besieged Alexandria; but he was soon constrained to abandon it, for want of provisions[20]. Shabân Ascrâf was then Sultan, and he was the first who ordered the Sherîfs, or descendants of the Prophet, to wear a green turban.
SECT. II.
Borgite Mamlûks.
This race was of Circassian extract, and continued to rule Egypt till the French invasion.
1382. Barkûk-Daher, who had been Atabek in the minority of Hadgi Salah, deposed his pupil, and seized the supreme authority. Timûr invading Syria, Barkûk obtained two victories over the Moguls, and forced them to withdraw.
1399. Faradj, son of Barkûk. Few of these Sultans reigned above a year, till
1442. Bursbai, who reigned sixteen. He sent a fleet against Cyprus, which took Lymissos and Nicosia, and brought John II. and most of his nobility, captives. Syria remained almost a constant appanage to Egypt.
1461. Abu-’l-Fathe Achmed received tribute from Cyprus, and assigned the crown to James, natural son of John III.