On the twenty-fourth day of the month of Rajab, on a Wednesday, the deputy of Aleppo, Seyfeddin Yelboga Arush, entered Damascus together with the soldiers from Aleppo and others accompanying him. Alongside him were the deputy of Tripoli, Emir Seyfeddin Beklemish; the deputy of Hama, Emir Shihabuddin Ahmed; and the deputy of Suğd, Emir Alaeddin Tayboga Bor-kat. According to reports, this group had set out one day before Yelboga. Many fortress deputies from Aleppo and other towns, as well as numerous Turks and Turkmens, were present. They stopped in the Sukūʿ al-Hayl area of Damascus. This place was located beneath the fortress and was the residence of the sultan's deputies. He inspected the soldiers who came with him and led them through the official gate. All entered the city wearing their uniforms with great pomp. Accompanying him were sixty or more, or perhaps fewer, tabilhane emirs. Many people who witnessed this have said so. Later, near midday, he went to the tent set up for him in front of the Masjid al-Qadim and by the riverbank near his dome. That day was a dreadful and terrifying day. Because people saw a great number of soldiers and equipment there. The people considered it justified that the deputy of Damascus withdrew with his men to avoid confrontation. We pray to Almighty Allah to unite their hearts for the benefit of the Muslims and to bring about concord among them.
Yelboga Arush sent a message to the fortress deputy Emir Seyfeddin Ibaci requesting the goods belonging to Ergun that were in his possession to be sent. However, he refused. He fortified the fortress and locked its gates. He stationed his soldiers, infantry archers, and similar warriors at observation points. He also placed some mangonels on the towers so that he could defend the fortress with them. Additionally, he ordered the people of Damascus to keep their shops closed and not to open them under any circumstances. He locked all the city gates except one or two. The incoming soldiers became very angry with him. They attempted to commit many evils. Then they began to frighten and terrorize the people. May Allah grant safety, the vanguard and main troops of the soldiers, having passed through the villages and gardens, took what they needed for themselves and their mounts, caused disorder, and destroyed crops. They committed even greater evils. "Innā lillāh wa innā ilayhi rājiʿūn" (Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return). Many villages were plundered, and women and girls lost their chastity. The calamity grew, and the affliction increased. As for the merchants and those said to be wealthy, most of them hid and did not appear, fearing the confiscation of their goods. We ask Almighty Allah to make their outcome good.
At the beginning of the month of Shaʿbān, the city’s inhabitants were living in intense fear. Villagers and suburban residents were busy moving their belongings, cattle, sheep, children, and women. All the city gates except Bab al-Faradis and Jabiya were locked. Every day we heard of many villages and suburban areas being plundered. Even the majority or slightly less of the people of the Salihiya neighborhood had relocated. Similarly, the people of Akbiyah and other suburbs had moved and settled with their friends and acquaintances inside Damascus. Some had settled on the roads with their children and women. Strength and power can only be granted by the Great and Exalted Allah. Many elders who had witnessed the Battle of Qādisiyyah said, "This time is more difficult than that time."
Because people had left behind the produce and fruits that would constitute the basis of their provisions for the year they were living in and moved elsewhere. As for the city’s inhabitants, they were experiencing severe panic because they heard that women were being prostituted. After prayers, they cursed them, explicitly mentioning the names of their emirs, soldiers, and those under their command while cursing, praying to Almighty Allah to bring calamity upon them. The fortress deputy Emir Seyfeddin Ibaci was always trying to calm the people, strengthen their resolve, and give them glad tidings. He said that the Egyptian soldiers, under the sultan’s command, were moving toward Gaza, where the Damascus army was stationed, to unite and come to Damascus to save the city and its people. Upon hearing this glad tidings, drums were played in joy, and people felt some relief and happiness.
But later it became clear that these reports were unfounded, and people became anxious again. Every day and every hour, they dressed in fine clothes and went out of the city with hope, waiting for the sultan to arrive with his soldiers. Finally, the sultan came. May Allah grant him victory and strengthen him. Carpets were laid out in front of the Masjid al-Dubban. There were carpets along the road up to the entrance of the Mansurah fortress. From there, the emirs dismounted from their mounts and began to walk on foot ahead of him. The sultan himself wore a very precious red cloak. He was on a noble, well-trained horse, not straying from the drawn path. It was a beautiful, well-regarded animal. The sultan bore the dignity of kingship and leadership. He wore the insignia of sultanate. Above his head was a silk canopy held by one of the senior emirs.
People who saw him prayed aloud, saying takbīr and tahlīl, while women ululated. The people were very happy; it was a day of resurrection. A very beautiful scene was taking place. May Allah bless this beautiful situation for the Muslims. The sultan proceeded to the Mansurah fortress. Caliph al-Muʿtadid Abū al-Fatḥ b. Abī Bakr al-Mustakfī Billāh Abū Rabīʿ Sulaymān b. Ḥākim Bi-Amrillāh Abū ʿAbbās Aḥmad also came to Damascus with the sultan. He was riding on the sultan’s left side. In the evening, he went down to the Dimaqiyya Madrasa. The other emirs were with the deputy of Damascus. The vanguards of the emirs, Taz and Shaykhun, were busy following Yelboga and the rebels accompanying him.
On the second of Ramadan, Friday—may Allah grant him victory—the sultan came to the Umayyad Mosque. There, he performed the Friday prayer at the mašhad where the deputies of the sultan prayed. May Allah grant him strength and power. Upon his arrival and departure, many prayers were made for him, and expressions of love were shown. May Allah accept his good deeds. Similarly, on the ninth of Ramadan, he again performed the Friday prayer at the Umayyad Mosque in a place reserved for him.
On the tenth of Ramadan, Saturday, he visited Caliph al-Muʿtadid Billāh Abū al-Fatḥ b. Abī Bakr b. al-Mustakfī Billāh Abū Rabīʿ Sulaymān b. Ḥākim Bi-Amrillāh Abū ʿAbbās Aḥmad, who was at the Dimaqiyya Madrasa. We greeted him. The madrasa was within Bab al-Faraj. I read to him a partial hadith from the Musnad of Imam Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal, narrated from Muḥammad b. Idrīs al-Shāfiʿī. This caliph was a young man with a beautiful form, sweet speech, modesty, good understanding, and pleasant expression. May Allah have mercy on his predecessors as well.
On the fourteenth of Ramadan, a courier arrived from Aleppo. The courier brought the swords of those arrested from among Yelboga's men.
On the fifteenth of Ramadan, Thursday, Sultan Malik al-Ṣāliḥ came from the Tarim Palace to the Ablak Palace with great pomp and ceremony. He did not attend the Friday prayer but instead prayed in the mentioned palace. On Friday morning, Emir Seyfeddin Shaykhun and Taz came to Damascus with the soldiers from Aleppo accompanying them. They had not been able to capture Yelboga and his men because they had entered the land of ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Turkman with only a small number of soldiers. They only captured some of the emirs accompanying them. The captured emirs were brought in chains by these two emirs. Shaykhun and Taz went to the sultan at the Ablak Palace, kissed the threshold in greeting, and offered their Eid congratulations. Taz settled in the Ayitmishm mansion northeast of the Ablak Palace, and Shaykhun settled near Zāhiriyyat al-Barrāniyya in the Iyāʾ al-Ḥāwibiyya mansion. The other soldiers dispersed to various quarters.
Emir Seyfeddin went to Ergun and continued to serve as the deputy of Aleppo. In the firman written regarding the appointment of the deputy of Aleppo, he was addressed with magnificent titles and was dressed in a precious robe. He was honored and respected so that he would continue to stand on the sultan’s side against Yelboga and his men. There was already extreme enmity between him and Yelboga.
Then the sultan, together with the Egyptians accompanying him and the Damascenes who joined them, performed the Eid prayer in the Meydan-ı Ahdar. Qadi Taj al-Din al-Munawi al-Misri delivered the khutbah to them. This person had been appointed as the Egyptian qadi of the army by the sultan’s firman and was dressed in a robe.
This concludes what we have to relate on this matter. The Most High Allah, free from deficiencies, knows best the truth.