Madrasā alʿIzzīyā al-Barrānīyyā

Madrasā alʿIzzīyā extra muros, below the Wirāqā (1) at the upper Šaraf, was built in 626 (1228-1229 CE) by the emir ʿIzz ad-Dīn ʾAybak, ustāḏ ad-dār, major-domo of al-malik al-Muʿaẓẓam, and his lieutenant at Sarẖad. Later he was accused of treacherous correspondence, thrown into prison, and his properties were confiscated. He became ill and said, fainting, "This is the end of my life!” and never talked until he died. He was buried in Cairo, near Bāb an-Naṣr, in 646 (an-Nuʿaymī 2).

Ibn H̱allikān says, "ʾAybak, mamlūk of al-Muʿaẓẓam, received Sarẖad in 611 (1214-1215 CE) and held it until 644 (1246-1247 CE), when he was imprisoned in Cairo by al-malik aṣ-Ṣāliḥ Naǧm ad-Dīn ʾAyyūb.” He adds that he personally attended ʾAybakʾs funeral in 646 (1248-1249 CE). In 654 (1256 CE), the remains were transported to Damascus to be buried at at-Turbā al-ʿIzzīyyā.

1. A quarter named after a paper "waraq" factory?

2. See also Sauvaire p. 269. 

Ernst Herzfeld. Damascus, Studies in Architecture III. Ars Islamica XI-XII 1946 (p. 1-71).

Photo: Karl Wulzinger & Carl Watzinger. Damaskus, die Islamische Stadt. Walter de Gruyter 1924.