by Jurji Zaydan
“What, then, is the distinction between kings and their subjects? Are we to
be permitted the same prerogatives as our rulers? Do you imagine that you would
have the right to object to another man’s place in the aff ections of Tree of Pearls, even though you are her paramour and her benefactor? She, however, would be
well within her royal rights to question and censure your every step.”
‘Izz al-Din recalled his glimpse of Rukn al-Din leaving the Queen’s cham-
bers that very morning, and his torment now returned. He lost himself in his
gloomy thoughts for a space, but not wishing to expose himself further to Sal-
lafa’s taunts, he hastened to reply. “You seem to think that Tree of Pearls’s elevation to the throne has caused a rift between us. But if she has ever been free to do as she chooses, what then should prevent me from following my own inclinations
without consulting her pleasure or fearing her anger?”
“Nay, I do not counsel you to act so. I would not be the cause of discord
betwixt you.”
“And even if your presence in my household should off end her, what of it?”
He broke off moodily, then resumed. “Besides, I am not obliged to inform her of my private aff airs.”
Sallafa shook her head. “A bold move on your part, my Lord. But if you truly
wish me to remain under your protection, I insist that you lodge me elsewhere
than in your own residence. I should always court your aff ection and your trust, even were I to become Queen of Muslims,” she laughed lightly, “though in truth,
I cannot swear by it, for we daughters of Adam are inconstant creatures!”
‘Izz al-Din frowned in displeasure. “Pray, speak your thoughts clearly.”
“Women were not made to rule, my Lord. Th
e Crown belongs to you and you
alone, by rights. You are Commander of the Army, and it was you who valiantly
met the Franks in battle and vanquished them. You have ever been the mighty
arm that supports the throne of this land. Of this I am convinced, and I shall not soon change my opinion.”
‘Izz al-Din was pacifi ed by this fl attery, for a man is easily deceived by his own inclinations so that black turns to white and illusion to reality. He readily believes in the devotion and sincerity of his fl atterer, and gladly opens his ears and heart to him in consequence. Th
is is a truth universally known and practiced
| t r e e of pe a r l s , qu e e n of e g y p t
by all courtiers and men of aff airs; likewise the rake, who wins his mistress’s heart by praising her unparalleled beauty and unconquerable virtue:
Th
ey deceived her who called her a beauty
For beauties are dazzled by praise.
Th
e truth, however, is that praise does not dazzle beauties alone. It blinds one and all, and rarely does a reasonable man escape its snares.
‘Izz al-Din believed Sallafa and did not in any way suspect her motives in
off ering him this honest counsel. His heart now began to grow cold towards Tree of Pearls, though he barely perceived the spell that the woman before him had
wrought upon it. Th
ey parted, having agreed that Sallafa should soon remove to
a palace that ‘Izz al-Din would put at her disposal, and thereby come under his
protection.
Alone again, ‘Izz al-Din thought long upon what had passed between them.
Was she not right to insist that a child of the Ayubbid line should inherit the
throne, and that he, ‘Izz al-Din, be made Regent? Was she not right to point out the unseemliness of a female head of state? He now began to see that he had erred in his judgment, but he was nonetheless greatly pleased that the lovely Custodian of the Righteous King’s Harem had so precipitously come into his possession.
Meanwhile, in the days that followed Rukn al-Din’s departure for Damietta,
Shwaykar constantly pined for news of him and of the distant war there, while
he in his turn seized every opportunity to seek word of her from messengers
or offi
cers freshly arrived from Cairo. Th
ree months passed in this way, Rukn
al-Din returning from the battlefi eld only twice, and each time eagerly seizing the opportunity to see Shwaykar—aft er having received permission from Tree
of Pearls—and to hear her sing. At their last parting, the lovers fi xed the date of their nuptials immediately the war in Damietta should be over, and Shwaykar
once again remained behind to breathlessly await the promised day, while count-
less evil omens plagued her young and innocent heart.
The Caliph’s Messenger
one fine morning not long thereaft er, the people of Cairo woke to whispered
news of the arrival of a messenger from the Caliph in Baghdad. It was said that
this messenger had caused his magnifi cent pavilions to be raised on the outskirts of the city, and the entire population now eagerly engaged in diverse attempts to divine the contents of the letter he had brought with him from the imperial capital. Th
e arrival of such a letter was a rare occurrence indeed, and could only con-
tain an imperial decree either confi rming or deposing the new Sultan of Egypt.
Th
e messenger had immediately sent an attendant with news of his arrival
to the princes and offi
cers of the court, and they in turn dispatched a high-rank-
ing emissary to receive him, in keeping with the rules of imperial protocol. Th
e
streets of the city soon fi lled up with noisy, boisterous crowds, particularly in the thoroughfare leading from the Nasr Gate to the Citadel, along which the messenger would pass with his delegation. Th
e offi
cers and princes meanwhile prepared
to receive the messenger in the Citadel and to hear the contents of his letter read out. Th
ey suspected that it touched upon Tree of Pearls’s investiture, and that it
would confi rm, as was usually the case, the choice they had made in raising her to the throne. Th
ey accordingly prepared to proceed to the Great Hall along with
the other great Bahri princes, excepting Rukn al-Din, who was still absent in
Damietta. Tree of Pearls meanwhile arranged herself on the royal couch to await
the messenger’s arrival. She wore the same magnifi cent robes of state that had
graced her fi gure at her coronation three months since, and her lovely face bore the expression of calm and noble pride befi tting a Queen. Shwaykar, who occupied her usual place at her mistress’s side, secretly lamented her beloved Rukn
al-Din’s absence from the assembly.
Sallafa alone of all the inhabitants of Cairo was already aware of the exact
contents of the momentous letter. Her confi dant, the Custodian of the Caliph’s
| t r e e of pe a r l s , qu e e n of e g y p t
Harem, had sent her own messenger with the imperial delegation, and the private
note he had placed into her hands had brought her the news that Tree of Pearls
was to be deposed this very morning by decree of the Commander of the Faithful
himself. Sallafa was of course overjoyed by this turn of events that she herself had so artfully engineered. Her fi rst wish was to inform ‘Izz al-Din of it. She therefore hastened to send for him, and when he fi nally stood before her, she carefully skirted the subject that threatened to burst her heart open with joy. “I believe a letter has arrived at court from the Commander of the Faithful—? What news
does it bring, I wonder?”
‘Izz al-Din appeared intrigued by her mysterious manner. “Indeed, I know
not,
Sallafa.”
“And if you were to attempt a guess?” she persisted.
“I have already told you that I know nothing of it. Am I to suppose then that
you might somehow be acquainted with its contents?” he added doubtfully.
She laughed merrily at this. “I am, my Prince, and what is more, I myself
predicted its contents to you three months ago. Do you not remember?”
‘Izz al-Din considered this reply briefl y as his mind fl ew back in time. “You
speak of our fi rst meeting, and our fi rst discussion of Tree of Pearls?”
“Queen of Muslims, indeed!” she mocked.
“You predicted that the Caliph would refuse to approve her investiture. Can
this be the purport of the Caliph’s letter?”
“It is!” she cried triumphantly. “He has decreed that the woman be deposed!”
‘Izz al-Din was astonished by this news, for little did he expect it, and he
wondered how Sallafa could possibly know of it before anyone else, before even
the imperial messenger’s arrival at the Citadel. He stared at her incredulously.
“How do you know this, Sallafa?” he demanded. “Is it sorcery?”
She laughed again, and replied, “I knew full well that the Caliph would never
approve this reign! And now, you must gather your resolve and recall the counsel I gave you three months ago. Do you remember it?”
‘Izz al-Din’s astonishment only grew at these words, and as he stood gazing
at his mistress, a sudden sense of awe and of helplessness powerfully laid hold of him. “Yes, I remember,” he fi nally replied steadily. “But how shall we proceed?
Who is the Ayyubid child that we might raise to the throne?”
“You may leave this matter to me.”
“Disclose your thoughts to me now, for the assembly gathers as we speak and
we may not be allowed another opportunity to decide the matter.”
t h e c a l i ph’s m e s se nge r |
“Perhaps you are right,” she coolly replied. “Do you know Musa, son of Salah
al-Din, son of Mas‘ud Ibn al-Kamil?”
“I know him. He is a mere boy of eight.”
“Were he but a lad of fi ve he would suit our purposes all the more. Th
is boy
is the legitimate successor of Al-Salih in the Ayyubid line, and you shall be his all-powerful Regent!”
“But how shall I secure the Regency?” ‘Izz al-Din feverishly demanded.
“I shall secure it for you. You must summon all your resolve, my love. You
yourself shall propose the boy’s investiture, and you may leave the rest to me.”
‘Izz al-Din surrendered to Sallafa’s formidable will. His heart pounded with
excitement. “Shall you attend the assembly?”
“I shall view it from behind the curtains of the women’s alcove.” He nodded
and, bidding her farewell, took his leave.
Upon his return to the Citadel, he found the assembled princes waiting
impatiently for him. Of all those present, his absence had disturbed Tree of Pearls the most and it augured ill to her, for she was conscious of the widening breach that had opened between them these past months, and she knew that Sallafa
now held sway in ‘Izz al-Din’s heart. She watched him take his place amongst the assembled princes from behind her screen and steeled herself to hear what fate
held in store for her.
The Caliph’s Decree
towards midday, the courtyard of the Citadel overfl owed with people and news
of the messenger’s arrival spread like wildfi re. Th
e Chamberlain had solemnly
come forth to conduct him into the Great Hall where the princes waited, ranged
in twin rows that led all the way up to the raised dais on which sat Tree of Pearls and Shwaykar behind their screen. Shwaykar, who had taken note of the deep
marks of anxiety on her mistress’s face, was all the while engaged in attempting to comfort her with soothing words, while the Queen sat like a statue chiseled
in marble and listened closely to the invisible dialogue taking place beyond her screen. She now heard ‘Izz al-Din raise his voice to speak. “My Princes, we hereby present to you the messenger of our Lord the Caliph, Commander of the Faithful, Al-Musta‘sim Billah—may God preserve him. He brings us a letter from his
master, which he shall now proceed to read out to us. Hark ye, and prepare to bow to his will, for he is the Successor of our Prophet, peace and blessings upon him.”
“We submit to the Prophet and his Caliph!” the princes cried in unison.
Th
e messenger now advanced onto a small platform that had been raised for
this purpose. He unrolled the scroll he carried and began to read, while those in attendance waited breathlessly upon his words.
Th
e Commander of the Faithful, Abi Ahmad Abdallah Al-Musta‘sim Billah Ibn
Al-Mustansir Billah, salutes the Commanders of the Army and the Ministers
of Egypt. It has come to our attention that you have crowned Tree of Pearls, Concubine of the departed Righteous King, Queen of Egypt, and given her the
reins of state. We hereby let it be known that if you have no men amongst you capable of assuming the throne of Egypt, then verily, we shall take it upon ourselves to provide you with one. Have you not heard the Prophet’s saying—peace and blessings upon him—“Th
ose who entrust their aff airs to a woman will never
know prosperity”?
t h e c a l i ph’s de cr e e |
No sooner had the messenger fi nished reading the letter than a great din rose
from the assembly. You may imagine how these words aff ected Tree of Pearls, but she was a sensible and determined woman, and when she heard the Caliph’s decree
and realized that she had no choice but to bend to his will, she resolved to bear it stoically and motioned to the Chamberlain to pull aside the screen. Th
e assem-
bly immediately fell silent at the commanding sight of the deposed Queen seated
upon her couch, and they breathlessly waited to hear how she would respond.
“Oh ye Princes!” she began, “You have heard the will of the Commander of
the Faithful, which it is the duty of all Muslims to obey. He has spoken wisely—
may God preserve him—, for a woman is not fi t to sit upon the throne. I remind
you that I accepted this sacred trust at your own insistence, and in the hope of putting an end to the many crises that beset our realm. Now that stability has
once more come to the land of Egypt, and having heard the opinion of our lord
and master, the Commander of the Faithful, I hereby submit my abdication. I beg
you to choose at once whomsoever you feel to be an appropriate successor to the
throne of Egypt, and I myself shall be the fi rst to bend before him.”
Th
is speech was received with great approbation by Tree of Pearls’s support-
ers, for it was proof of her judiciousness and her noble pride. Not so Sallafa, who would have preferred the Queen to cling to her throne to the very last and thus be forced to abdicate against her will before one and all. She was nonetheless content that her rival had fallen. Suddenly, a voice rang out from amongst the assembly.
“We shall accept no sultan to rule over us other than a descendant of the line of Ayyub!”
Now, it is well known that a political proposal in the public interest stra-
tegically cast forth into the civic arena can only meet with approval if there be already a substantial consensus on its principal points. In such cases, it matters little who fi rst gives voice to the scheme in question, for the people, already confi rmed in their opinions, shall duly take up and echo the c
ry for the good of the community at large. Th
e princes knew not from whence this voice had come, but
it expressed the silent opinion of many of those present. It was therefore resoundingly seconded, and not one of those in attendance was much pressed to inquire
who had been its instigator.
Most Egyptians had disapproved of Tree of Pearls’s investiture, and would
have much preferred the election of a male member of the Ayyubid line to the
throne. Th
ey had only submitted to the fait accompli in fear of the all-powerful
| t r e e of pe a r l s , qu e e n of e g y p t
Mamluk army. Now that she had been deposed by offi
cial decree of the Caliph,
they were all eager to second the invisible voice that rang out so propitiously. A great din rose in support of the anonymous proposal, and all eyes turned to the
most powerful of the princes present, ‘Izz al-Din Aybak, as though to consult
him on the matter. ‘Izz al-Din accordingly rose to address the assembly. His deep voice was clear and unwavering. “Our Lady, Tree of Pearls, has abdicated her
throne as proof of her obedience to the wishes of the Commander of the Faith-
ful and to the obligations laid upon her by the Muslim community. Her rank as
mother of the departed Khalil, descendent of the Ayyubids, had constrained us,
the Commanders of the great army of Egypt, to place her on the empty throne,
but we are now obliged to choose a prince of this line as our king. I hereby propose our Lord Musa Bin Salah al-Din Bin Mas‘ud to the assembly, though he is
yet a child.”
Th
e Caliph’s messenger interrupted ‘Izz al-Din. “His age is of no conse-
quence, for you shall be his Regent, the commander of his armies and his First
Minister. What think you of this proposal, Princes?”
“Hear, hear!” cried the assembled princes in unison.
‘Izz al-Din was taken aback by this declaration, and he wondered how it
came about that the Caliph’s messenger—a stranger to the court—should single
him out of all the great princes and commanders of the army as a suitable Prince Regent for Egypt. He therefore remained silent and somewhat perplexed before
the loud acclamations of the assembly. Th
e messenger now spoke again. “Hear ye,
