Establishment of the Abbasid caliphate in Cairo

On 13 Rajab 659 AH Ahmad ibn al-Zahir was given the oath in Cairo as Abbasid caliph, after he had come to the sultan al-Zahir Baybars. ²

He had been imprisoned in Baghdad, and was released when the Tatars took it, and he took refuge with the Arabs of Iraq. He came to Baybars with ten men of Banu Muhariish, and the sultan rode out to meet him. His lineage was established before the chief judge Taj al-Din ibn Bint al-A'azz. ²

The sultan gave him the oath first, then the judge, then [[person/izz-al-din-ibn-abd-al-salam|Izz al-Din ibn Abd al-Salam], then the great men by rank. His name was struck on the coinage and the sermon was given in his name, and he took the title of his brother al-Mustansir. The caliph invested the sultan with the robe of honour and the decree of appointment was read. al-Suyuti says that the interruption of the caliphate lasted three years and a half. ²

Ibn al-Imad relates that people of all kinds, Muslims, Jews and Christians, came out to receive him, and he entered by the Gate of Victory on a day of great gathering. ³

See also al-Mustansir bi-Llah.