At the beginning of this year, the caliph of the Muslims was al-Ḥākim bi-Amrillāh Abū'l-ʿAbbās Aḥmad al-ʿAbbāsī, the Sultan of the land was al-Malik al-ʿĀdil ibn Kutbughā, his deputy in Egypt was Emir Ḥusām al-Dīn Lāchīn al-Silāḥtarī al-Manṣūrī, and his vizier was Fakhr al-Dīn ibn Khalīlī. As for the judges of Egypt and Syria, they were the same judges whose names were mentioned in previous years. The deputy of Damascus was ʿIzz al-Dīn al-Ḥamawī. His vizier was Taqiyy al-Dīn Tawba. The head of the dīwāns was ʿAṣar, and the preacher and judge of the city was Badr al-Dīn ibn Jamāʿa.
In the month of Muḥarram of this year, Burhān al-Dīn ibn Hilāl was appointed as the superintendent of the orphanage in place of Sharaf al-Dīn ibn Shayrajī.
At the beginning of this year, there was a severe famine and scarcity in Egypt. With the exception of a small portion of the people, most had died. Pits were dug and groups of the dead were buried together, one on top of another, at a time. Prices had soared. Provisions were extremely scarce and expensive. Death was rampant. In the month of Ṣafar of this year, 130,000 people died in Egypt. Famine also occurred in Damascus. A sack of wheat was sold for 200 dirhams. Upon hearing that one of their own, Kutbughā, had become sultan, a group of Tatars from Guwayrānī came to Damascus. The soldiers welcomed them, saying "Welcome." Then, together with Emir Kara Sungur al-Manṣūrī, they went to Egypt. News arrived that the famine and scarcity in Egypt had intensified. So much so that a chicken was being sold for thirty-six dirhams in Alexandria. In Cairo, it was nineteen dirhams. Three eggs were sold for one dirham. Horses, donkeys, mules, and dogs had all been eaten by people,
and none remained. If any animal appeared, it would be immediately caught and eaten.
On Saturday, the twelfth of Jumādā al-Awwal of this year, Shaykh al-ʿAllāma Taqiyy al-Dīn ibn Daqīq al-ʿĪd was appointed as chief judge of Egypt in place of Taqiyy al-Dīn ibn Bint al-Aʿazz.
Afterwards, abundance appeared in the land of Egypt. Prices became cheap. In the month of Jumādā al-Ākhir, hardship and hunger disappeared completely. Praise be to Allah.
On Wednesday, the twelfth of Rajab, Qāḍī Imām al-Dīn began teaching in place of Sadreddin ibn Rāzī, who had died at the Kaymiriya Madrasa.
Barzalī said: In this year, lightning struck the dome of Zamzam. The muezzin, Shaykh ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Salām, who used to call the adhān atop the aforementioned dome of the Masjid al-Ḥarām, died. This person had narrated some hadith.
In this year, the wife of al-Malik al-Ẓāhir and the mother of Salamis came from Ashkar to Damascus at the end of the month of Ramaḍān. The deputy of the city sent her various gifts and presents. He granted her a stipend. Previously, Khalīl ibn Manṣūr, who had ascended to the throne, had exiled them.
Al-Jazarī said: In the month of Rajab of this year, Kamāl al-Dīn ibn Kalānisī taught in place of Jalāl al-Dīn Qazwīnī. On Wednesday, the seventeenth of Shaʿbān, Shaykh Zayn al-Dīn ibn Munjī, who had died at the Ḥanbaliyya Madrasa, was succeeded in teaching by Shaykh al-ʿAllāma, Shaykh al-Islām Taqiyy al-Dīn ibn Taymiyya al-Ḥarrānī. Ibn Taymiyya resigned from the professorship of the ʿImādiyya Madrasa in favor of Shams al-Dīn ibn Fakhr al-Baʿalbakkī. At the end of the month of Shawwāl, Sulaymān ibn ʿUmar ibn Salīm al-Azraʿī, known as Jamāl al-Dīn al-Zarī, who was judge in Zar, acted as judge in Damascus as deputy for Ibn Jamāʿa. He performed this duty well.
At the end of the month of Shawwāl of this year, Kutbughā went from Egypt to Damascus. When this good news reached Damascus, drums of joy were beaten in the citadel. Sultan Kutbughā, his deputy Lāchīn, and his vizier Ibn Khalīlī were received in the citadel. On Sunday, the sixteenth of Dhū al-Qaʿda, Shaykh Taqiyy al-Dīn Sulaymān ibn Ḥamza al-Maqdisī was appointed as Ḥanbalī judge in place of Sharaf al-Dīn, who had died. Robes of honor were bestowed upon him, the other judges, those of high rank, and the leading emirs. Najm al-Dīn ibn Abū al-Ṭibb was appointed as treasurer of the bayt al-māl in place of Ibn Shirāzī. He, too, was given a robe of honor along with those present. In addition, ʿAṣar, a group of his men, some scribes and administrators were punished and a large sum of money was demanded from them. Their goods and produce were confiscated. Ibn Salʿūs, Ibn ʿAdnān, and others were also subjected to this penalty. Great turmoil ensued. The sons of Shaykh ʿAlī al-Ḥarīrī, Ḥasan and Shīth, came from the city of Baser to visit the sultan. They were given abundant provisions and money. Their needs were met. They returned to their homeland. The Qalandarīs hosted the sultan at the foot of Mount Mizze. He gave them about 10,000 dinars.
The lord of Ḥamā came to serve the sultan. The sultan played ball with him in the square. The ashraf complained about their naqīb, Zayn al-Dīn ibn ʿAdnān. The lord ceased to protect him and referred the matter to the Shāfiʿī judge.
On Friday, the twenty-second of Dhū al-Qaʿda of this year, Sultan al-Malik al-ʿĀdil Kutbughā performed the prayer in the maqsūra of the minbar. On his right was the lord of Ḥamā, below him was the commander of arms, Badr al-Dīn, on his left were the sons of al-Ḥarīrī, Ḥasan and his brothers, below them was the deputy of the land, Ḥusām al-Dīn Lāchīn, next to him was the deputy of Damascus, ʿIzz al-Dīn al-Ḥamawī, below him was Badr al-Dīn Baysarī, and below him was Kara Sungur, next to Kara Sungur was Ḥājjī Bahādur, and behind them were the great emirs. The sultan bestowed a precious robe of honor upon the preacher Badr al-Dīn ibn Jamāʿa. After the prayer, the preacher Badr al-Dīn greeted the sultan. The sultan then visited the muṣḥaf of ʿUthmān. On Saturday, he played ball in the square.
On Monday, the second of Dhū al-Ḥijja, Emir ʿIzz al-Dīn al-Ḥamawī was dismissed from the deputyship of Damascus. The sultan, due to certain actions, severely reprimanded and blamed him. Then he pardoned him and ordered him to come with him to Egypt. Emir Sayf al-Dīn Gurlu al-ʿĀdilī was appointed as deputy to Damascus. Both the dismissed and the appointed were given robes of honor. The sultan descended to the palace of justice. The viziers, judges, and emirs were present with him. He was just as his name implied. Then, on the twelfth of Dhū al-Ḥijja, he set out for Aleppo. He passed through Haristā. Then he stayed for a few days in Barriyya. From there he returned and reached Ḥimṣ. The deputies of the towns came to him. The deputy of Damascus, Emir Gurlu, sat in the palace of justice and judged justly. He was a person of good administration and correct judgment. May the Exalted Allah have mercy on him.