Qutuz’s Killing and Baybars’ Rise Mark a Turning Point in Mamluk Egypt

October 24 marks the anniversary of al-Zahir Baybars’ accession to the throne of Egypt following the killing of Sultan Saif al-Din Qutuz.

Qutuz, the Mamluk ruler who had led the Egyptian army, died before Baybars assumed power. His killing brought an abrupt end to his reign and opened the way for a change in leadership.

The succession links two prominent names in Egypt’s Mamluk history: Qutuz as the slain sultan and military commander, and Baybars as the ruler who followed him.

The anniversary offers an occasion to revisit historical accounts of Qutuz’s death and Baybars’ accession, a transition that remains a significant episode in the history of Mamluk rule.