Abdallah Barshanbu
King of Makuria
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Sayf al-Din Abdallah Barshanbu (Arabic: سيف الدين عبد الله برشنبي) or simply Abdallah Barshanbu was king of the Nubian kingdom of Makuria from 1316 to his death in 1317.
| Sayf al-Din Abdallah Barshanbu | |
|---|---|
Arabic stela from the Throne Hall of Dongola issued under Abdallah Barshanbu in 1317 | |
| King of Makuria | |
| Reign | 1316–1317 |
| Predecessor | Kudanbes |
| Successor | Abram |
| Born | 13th century |
| Died | 1317 |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
Despite his brief reign he is noteworthy for being the first Muslim ruler of the Christian kingdom of Makuria. He was a nephew of king David, who had been detained in Cairo since 1276. Installed by Mamluk Sultan Al-Nasir Muhammad in 1316, he was deeply unpopular and eventually killed a year later by Kanz ad-Dawla Muhammad, another Muslim nephew of David and ruler of the Banu Kanz tribe. The latter refused the Makurian crown and agreed to transfer it to Abraam, a brother of Kudanbes. He ruled for just three days, after which Kanz ad-Dawla seized the Makurian crown.[1]
Inscription from Dongola
Abdallah Barshanbu is mentioned in an Arabic stela from the so-called Throne Hall of Dongola. It is dated to 1 June 1317 and commemorates its conversion into a mosque.[2]