QALA'UN

died 1290 in full Al-mansur Sayf Ad-din Qala'un Al-alfi, Qala'un also spelled Qalawun Mamluk sultan of Egypt (127990), the founder of a dynasty that ruled that country for a century. In the 1250s Qala'un was an early and devoted supporter of the Mamluk commander Baybars, and, after the latter became sultan of Egypt and Syria in 1260, Qala'un's career advanced rapidly. Upon the death of Baybars in 1277, Qala'un quickly deposed and exiled two of Baybars' sons who had briefly succeeded to the sultanate, and in 1279 Qala'un himself became sultan of Egypt. He solidified his power after fighting off a rival claimant to the throne in 1280, and he thereupon proceeded to consolidate the Mamluk position in the Middle East. Qala'un wished both to expel the Latin (Christian) crusaders from their remaining footholds in the Middle East and to repel the invading Mongols. He made a truce with the Knights Templars and then ended the Mongol threat to Egypt by defeating the Mongols at the Battle of Homs in 1281. In 1289 he broke his truce with the crusaders and captured the fortified port of Tripoli, which was then the largest town still held by the crusaders. Qal a'un died while mounting a campaign to besiege the town of Acre. He was succeeded as sultan by his son Khalil, who successfully wrested Acre from the crusaders in 1291. Qala'un was a decisive ruler and an able administrator. He encouraged trade and public-welfare activities in Egypt and was responsible for building the Qala'un Mosque complex.