Al-Sa'id Baraka

Al-Sa'id Baraka, born in Cairo in the year 1260, was a notable Turkic Sultan who ascended to the throne following the death of his father, Baibars, in 1277. His lineage was distinguished, as his mother was a daughter of Barka Khan, a former Khwarazmian emir, which added to his claim to power.

Upon his succession, Baraka swiftly moved to consolidate his authority by diminishing the influence of the emirs who had served under his father. His reign was marked by a series of strategic maneuvers, including the suspicious death of his father's viceroy and the imprisonment of other emirs, who were later released. In a bid to strengthen his position, Baraka appointed his own mamluks to key roles within the administration.

In 1279, Baraka orchestrated military campaigns by dispatching two of the most formidable emirs, Qalawun and Baysari, to raid Cilician Armenia and Qal'at al-Rum, effectively diverting their attention from the political landscape of his rule. Each commander led a force of ten thousand troops, but Baraka's intentions were ultimately thwarted when another amir, Kuvenduk, alerted them to his plans for their arrest upon their return.

As a result of this betrayal, Baraka was compelled to abdicate the throne, and his seven-year-old brother, Sulamish, was placed on the throne under the guardianship of Qalawun, who emerged as the de facto sultan. This marked the end of Baraka's brief reign and the beginning of a new chapter in the political dynamics of the region.