The ceremonial helmet of Sultan al-Ashraf Kansu al-Ghuri, the last sultan of the Mamluk Sultanate, is now on display at the Diyarbakır Museum.
Diyarbakır held a strategic position during the time of the Mamluk Sultanate. The city was loyal to the Mamluks and was under their control. When the Ottoman-Mamluk wars began, Sultan al-Ashraf Kansu al-Ghuri sought to secure the support of the people and administrators of Diyarbakır. He sent gifts to win their favor, one of which was the ceremonial helmet he used.
The historical significance of the helmet is tied to the events of the early 16th century. At the Battle of Marj Dabiq in 1516, a conflict erupted between the Ottomans and the Mamluks. In that battle, Sultan al-Ghuri died fighting, marking a moment in the region’s history. Following the Ottoman victories at the Battle of Marj Dabiq and the subsequent Battle of Ridaniya, Diyarbakır came under Ottoman rule.
Sultan al-Ashraf Kansu al-Ghuri rose through the ranks due to his military prowess. He was of Turkish origin and ascended to the throne after achieving success as a commander. His helmet, now displayed in the museum, represents the last of its kind from the Mamluk era.
“The Diyarbakır Museum is one of the oldest museums in Turkey and was established in 1934,” said Müjdat Gizligöl, the Deputy Director of the museum, according to Yeni Akit. The museum is located within the İçkale Museum Complex, which underwent restoration initiated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkey. In 2005, restoration work began on 14 historical buildings within the complex, and the project was completed in 2014.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq
This article was originally published at www.jpost.com
