ABSTRACT
The child who was enthroned as al-Malik al-Nasir Muhammad in Muharram 693/December 1293 was still sultan of Egypt and Syria when he died nearly half a century later in Dhu'l-hijja 741/June 1341. When al-Nasir Muhammad was first installed as a compromise candidate, there seemed to be no reason why his nominal sultanate be any more durable than those of the earlier stopgaps such as al-Ashraf Musa and Salamish. Kitbogha built up a group of clients and allies among the Turkish amirs, while Sanjar although himself a Turk, bought the support of the Circassian Burjiyya, the more numerous party. Kitbogha was now master of the situation. His first aim was to break the strength of the Burjiyya, which he did by imprisoning some, and by expelling many of them from their stronghold in the Citadel. Kitbogha's authority thus rested on unsure foundations. Kitbogha's life was spared, and he died as Kitbogha's life was spared, and he died as governor of Hamah.
