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Al-Nasir Muhammad Mosque
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Al-Nasir Muhammad Mosque
The Al-Nasir Muhammad Mosque, or more formally, the Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun Mosque, is a mosque located in the Citadel of Cairo, Egypt. Completed in 1318 CE, the mosque was built by the Mamluk sultan Al-Nasr Muhammad as the royal mosque of the Citadel, where the sultans of Cairo performed their Friday prayers. The mosque is located across the street from the courtyard access to the Mosque of Muhammad Ali. The Sultan also built a religious complex in the center of the city, adjacent to the one by his father Qalawun.
Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad was one of the sons of Sultan Qalawun (d. 1290). He was reportedly short, had a lame foot, and a cataract in one eye as well. However, he still managed to rally the support of his people because he was smart and energetic. He also managed to remain on good terms with other countries. The historical chronicler Ibn Batuta says that he was of “noble character and great virtue”.
Though surprisingly popular, al-Nasir did not keep control of his city throughout his life. Much of that has to do with him becoming sultan as a nine-year-old. Because the city was ripe with power mongers, his tutor, Kitbuqa sent him away to grow up and come home when he was better able to deal with the responsibility of ruling a country. Kitbuqa was killed shortly thereafter and was succeeded by a short succession of other rulers. Finally Lagin, an advisor loyal to the sultan took control and informed the young sultan he had nothing to fear and could return to Cairo. Nasir was usurped one additional time during his rule. Only after being reinstated a second time did Nasir begin working on his massive construction projects.
At the time, rulers of Cairo would support the city by sponsoring massive building projects which brought them prestige and created jobs. Al-Nasir’s claim to fame was building up the Citadel area that the Mamluk Empire ruled from. The Citadel resided aside from the more day-to-day people’s market place. Al-Nasir wiped out the library and audience halls of his predecessor and sponsored the building of a grand palace, aqueduct, and mosque for his own personal use in their place.
Around 1318, when the mosque was completed, the Sultan al-Nasir used it for his daily prayer. A side room enclosed by intricate iron work served as a private place of thought for the busy sultan. The call to prayer was broadcast to the North where the palace troops would be able to hear it. Perhaps unique in all of history, the funds to build this mosque exceeded its actual costs. These funds were used to buy more land and shops to support the mosque making it one of the wealthiest institutions in the city.
Both the financial stability and the Sultan’s own prestige made the Citadel Mosque a desirable place to work. To decide who would get the job, the Sultan called before him all the muezzins, preachers, and readers in the city to come before him and preach. Thus, the king got to pick the best and brightest religious leaders to serve in his mosque.
When the British arrived in Cairo, the Mosque on the Citadel was well past its days of honor where it was the sultan’s choice place to meditate. When Ottomans took over Cairo they ransacked the mosque and stripped it of much of its marble paneling. Areas between the entrances grand columns were plastered to form the walls of prison cells and storage rooms.
Being an amateur archeologist, Charles Moore Watson of the British army asked his commanding officer, Captain William Freeman for permission to start repairs on the mosque. Permission was granted and Watson used prisoners to tear out the plaster walls. He succeeded in clearing out the southern and eastern walls, but was afraid the northern and western walls were needed to support the roof.
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Al-Nasir Muhammad Mosque
The Al-Nasir Muhammad Mosque, or more formally, the Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun Mosque, is a mosque located in the Citadel of Cairo, Egypt. Completed in 1318 CE, the mosque was built by the Mamluk sultan Al-Nasr Muhammad as the royal mosque of the Citadel, where the sultans of Cairo performed their Friday prayers. The mosque is located across the street from the courtyard access to the Mosque of Muhammad Ali. The Sultan also built a religious complex in the center of the city, adjacent to the one by his father Qalawun.
Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad was one of the sons of Sultan Qalawun (d. 1290). He was reportedly short, had a lame foot, and a cataract in one eye as well. However, he still managed to rally the support of his people because he was smart and energetic. He also managed to remain on good terms with other countries. The historical chronicler Ibn Batuta says that he was of “noble character and great virtue”.
Though surprisingly popular, al-Nasir did not keep control of his city throughout his life. Much of that has to do with him becoming sultan as a nine-year-old. Because the city was ripe with power mongers, his tutor, Kitbuqa sent him away to grow up and come home when he was better able to deal with the responsibility of ruling a country. Kitbuqa was killed shortly thereafter and was succeeded by a short succession of other rulers. Finally Lagin, an advisor loyal to the sultan took control and informed the young sultan he had nothing to fear and could return to Cairo. Nasir was usurped one additional time during his rule. Only after being reinstated a second time did Nasir begin working on his massive construction projects.
At the time, rulers of Cairo would support the city by sponsoring massive building projects which brought them prestige and created jobs. Al-Nasir’s claim to fame was building up the Citadel area that the Mamluk Empire ruled from. The Citadel resided aside from the more day-to-day people’s market place. Al-Nasir wiped out the library and audience halls of his predecessor and sponsored the building of a grand palace, aqueduct, and mosque for his own personal use in their place.
Around 1318, when the mosque was completed, the Sultan al-Nasir used it for his daily prayer. A side room enclosed by intricate iron work served as a private place of thought for the busy sultan. The call to prayer was broadcast to the North where the palace troops would be able to hear it. Perhaps unique in all of history, the funds to build this mosque exceeded its actual costs. These funds were used to buy more land and shops to support the mosque making it one of the wealthiest institutions in the city.
Both the financial stability and the Sultan’s own prestige made the Citadel Mosque a desirable place to work. To decide who would get the job, the Sultan called before him all the muezzins, preachers, and readers in the city to come before him and preach. Thus, the king got to pick the best and brightest religious leaders to serve in his mosque.
When the British arrived in Cairo, the Mosque on the Citadel was well past its days of honor where it was the sultan’s choice place to meditate. When Ottomans took over Cairo they ransacked the mosque and stripped it of much of its marble paneling. Areas between the entrances grand columns were plastered to form the walls of prison cells and storage rooms.
Being an amateur archeologist, Charles Moore Watson of the British army asked his commanding officer, Captain William Freeman for permission to start repairs on the mosque. Permission was granted and Watson used prisoners to tear out the plaster walls. He succeeded in clearing out the southern and eastern walls, but was afraid the northern and western walls were needed to support the roof.
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