Chronicles and Annalistic Sources of the Early Mamluk Circassian Period

The historiography of the Early Mamluk Circassian period is prolific but has not yet received proper scholarly attention. For the first time, this study examines in a comprehensive manner the key sources for the reign of al-Zahir Barquq (784-91, 792-801/1382-9, 1390-9) in terms of their originality and importance. By means of a systematic analysis of the annals of three different years, it provides a critical evaluation of published and manuscript primary sources, identifies the nature of the interdependence amongst authors, and sheds new light on the craft of historical writing. This book fills a critical gap in the scholarship on Mamluk historiography. The author not only assesses the production of well-known historians (Ibn Khaldun, Ibn al-Furat, al-Maqrizi, Ibn Taghribirdi, etc.), but also studies pivotal authors (Ibn Duqmaq, Ibn Hijji, etc.) whose works has been up until now either ignored or unknown.