Battle of Damascuc 1400
Printed From: History Community ~ All Empires
Category: Regional History or Period History
Forum Name: Post-Classical Middle East
Forum Discription: SW Asia, the Middle East and Islamic civilizations from 600s - 1900 AD
URL: http://www.allempires.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=27879
Printed Date: 25-Apr-2024 at 07:08
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Topic: Battle of Damascuc 1400
Posted By: MERN
Subject: Battle of Damascuc 1400
Date Posted: 02-Nov-2009 at 19:43
Hello,
I was wondering if ther are any additional resources on this battle between the Mamlukes and Tamerlane.
This is the only primary sources I can find (on the internet atleast):
http://www.deremilitari.org/resources/sources/taghri1.htm
It states that the batlle was a draw, until the Mamluke leadership abandoned the army for political machinations back in Cairo.
Some secondary sources:
-Prof.David Nicolle in "The Mongol Warlords" states that the two armies faced each other (no reference to battle joined) until the Mamlukes withdrew over a threatened coup back in Cairo, afterwards that the Mamlukes offered Tamerlane tribute to leave (p.166-7).
-P.M. Holt in "Age of the Cruased" simply states that the Sultan faraj entered Damascus (after Tamerlane's arrival) but "was forced to flee as the city was invested by Timur's forces" (p.179).
-James Waterson in "Knights of Islam" states that the senior Emirs fled for fear of being encircled by Tamerlane's army, thus the Mamluke army left, also that the Sultan soon afterwards sent an assassin to kill Tamerlane. Tamerlane thus sent a detacghment after the fleeing/withdrawing Mamlukes and killed many of the Sultan's guards (p.240-1)
-Sir John Glubb in "Soldiers of Fortune" writes the closest to the above primary source, that the Mamluke army fought Tamerlane to a stand-still, until certain Emirs withdrew stealthily over a possible coup back in Cairo (p.282-3).
I'd appreciate any additional sources to shed further light on this battle. That the Mamlukes, having fought Tamerlane to a draw, would abandon the field for seemingly insane domestic political reasons when in other events they tended to show a united front against any enemy (after which they'd go back to intrigues) I find amazing.
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