The Chaliphate - Muir - The Search For Mecca

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CHAPTER LXXIX
THE SU-CALLED CALIl'IlATE UNDllR THE MEMLLKS
OE EGYPT
659-926 A.H. I261-I520 A.D.
The Caliphate, long in hopeless decrepitude, had now Musunsir,
disappeared, and there remained no possibility of its
j^lJ CaHph,
revival. But a shadow survived in Egypt,— a race of 659 a.h.
mock-Caliphs, having the name without the substance
a mere spectre as it were. Shortly after his accession to
the throne, Beibars, hearing that a scion of 'Abbasid descent
survived in Syria, conceived the design of setting him up
as Caliph, and of receiving at his hands a spiritual blessing
and title to the Sultanate. Sought out from his hiding,
the 'Abbasid was brought to Cairo. At his approach, the
Sultan with his Court went forth in pomp to meet him.
Even the Jews and Christians had to follow in the train,
bearing the Book of the Law, and the Evangel, in their
hands. Soon after this, Al - Mustansir Caliph - nominate,
robed in gorgeous apparel, girt with the sword of State
and mounted on a white steed, was installed in the office,
and sworn fealty to by Beibars, his Amirs, and the people ;
which function ended, there was read from the pulpit a
pompous patent by the Caliph, conferring on ISeibars the
sovereign title, and impressing upon him the duty of
warring for the faith, and other obligations which Al-
Mustansir now imposed upon him. Then, with sound
of trumpet and shouts of joy, the royal procession wended
its way through the streets back to the palace ;—the
Caliph following the Sultan on horseback,— all the rest
on foot.
A few months later, Beibars resolved to reinstate his
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