al-Mustansir bi'llah II Ahmad ibn al-Zahir
First of the Cairo Abbasids; freed from Baghdad's prison, he was hailed at Cairo 13 Rajab 659, then vanished against the Tatars beyond Hit on 3 Muharram 660 — most say killed.
Reign · Abbasid Caliphate of Cairo · no. 1 in the chain · 1261–1262 CE
Ruled the caliphate
Events of the reign
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Al-Qurtubi settles at Munyat Bani Khusayb in Upper Egypt, c. 660/1262
Al-Qurtubi settled at Munyat Bani Khusayb in Upper Egypt, became its resident and laboured there on his great Qur'an commentary, filling it with every rarity. The Encyclopaedia of Islam confirms he settled at Munyat Abi l-Khusayb, where he died and was buried; the village stood prosperous on the Nile's east bank.
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Establishment of the Abbasid caliphate in Cairo
Ahmad ibn al-Zahir — freed from Baghdad's prison when the Tatars took it — came to Baybars in Rajab 659 with ten of Banu Maharish; the sultan rode out to meet him, his line was proven before chief qadi Taj al-Din ibn Bint al-A'azz, and the bay'a ran: the sultan first, then the qadi, then Shaykh Izz al-Din ibn Abd al-Salam, then the great by rank, on 13 Rajab. His name went on the coinage, he preached in black at the citadel mosque, robed the sultan with his own hands before the Cairo tent, and was granted an atabeg, ustadar, sharabi, khazindar, hajib and katib with a hundred horses. The caliphate's gap had lasted three and a half years; al-Dhahabi notes none after his uncle's son took it save him and al-Muqtafi.