African Kingdoms

Abbasid Puppet Caliphs of Egypt
AD 1261 - 1517

The death of the last caliph at Baghdad, Abdullah al Musta'sim, at the hands of the Il-Khan group of Mongols, signalled the end of the Abbasid caliphate. The Mameluke rulers of Egypt set up the Abbasid puppet caliphate, also in Egypt, which continued to hold some semblance of spiritual authority until the Ottoman conquest. Control of the Islamic empire eventually fell to the Ottoman Turks, who governed from Asia Minor.

1261

Ahmad (al Mustansir)

First puppet caliph in Egypt.

1261 - 1302

Ahmad (al Hakim) I

In Aleppo 1261-1262.

1291

Mameluke Sultan Al-Ashraf Khalîl completes his father's work in taking the Crusader stronghold of Acre. Its fall signals the end of Outremer.

Despite having been an Islamic state since 640, Egypt was still home to some of the earliest Christian churches, such as this, the Coptic Hanging Church, which is dedicated to the Virgin Mary

1302 - 1340

Sulayman (al Mustakfi) I

1340 - 1341

Ibrahim (al Wathiq) I

1341 - 1352

Ahmad (al Hakim) II

1352 - 1362

Abu Bakr (al Mutadid) I

1362 - 1377

Muhammad (al Mutawakkil) I

1377

Zakariyya (al Mutasim)

1377 - 1383

Muhammad (al Mutawakkil) I

1383 - 1386

Umar (al Wathiq) II

1386 - 1389

Zakariyya (al Mutasim)

1389 - 1406

Muhammad (al Mutawakkil) I

1390

Cairo is recaptured by Barquq Barquq al Yalburghawi and the Burji dynasty is born.

1406 - 1414

Abbas or Yaqub (al Mustain)

Mameluke sultan of Egypt in 1412.

1414 - 1441

Dawud (al Mutadid) II

1441 - 1451

Sulayman (al Mustakfi) II

1451 - 1455

Hamza (al Qaim)

1455 - 1479

Yusuf (al Mustanjid)

1479 - 1497

Abdul Aziz (al Mutawakkil) II

1480 - 1504

During this period, following the capture of the Nubian kingdom of Alodia by Abdullah Jamma and the founding of his Abdallab empire, Nubia is entirely Islamicised. By 1504, no Christian kingdoms exist in the region.

1497 - 1508

Yaqub (al Mustamsik)

1508 - 1516

al Mutawakkil III

1515 - 1517

The Ottoman sultan begins a war against Egypt which ultimately sees the latter conquered. Sultan Qansawh II al Ghawri is killed on 24 August 1515 at the Battle of Merj Dabik. Syria is immediately captured.

1516 - 1517

Yaqub (al Mustamsik)

1517

al Mutawakkil III

1517

Cairo, and Egypt, is conquered by Ottoman empire. The Mamelukes continue to hold some control as vassals, under the overview of Ottoman Governors, while the caliph is transported to Istanbul by Ottoman Sultan Selim I Yavuz, who is later credited with assuming the caliphate.