Mamluk documents provide little information about the different phases of marriage at that time. What is known of that era is that a khatbah, or matchmaker, concluded the engagement.
The historian Ibn Daniel speaks of how the one seeking marriage approaches the khatbah since she knows everyone, from prostitutes to all free and beautiful women in Egypt and Cairo. The khatbah pretends to sell perfume, incense, mirrors, and other feminine items.
The custom was that if the one seeking to get married agrees to the information provided by the khatbah, he quickly approaches her again and offers her a present such as a gram of gold. Then, he sends the khatbah to the family of the young woman to express his desire to marry their daughter. The Islamic Shariah, or law, states clearly the necessity of gaining the young woman's approval to a potential husband.
As for the class of ruling Mamluks, it seems that choosing a bride did not involve the khatbah. The people of the ruling class were given the freedom to choose brides from young women of their same tribe who had come to Egypt via the slave trade.
As a result, marriage in the ruling class was not political. The marriage of King Al-Salih Al-Mansur Qala'un to a young woman of Turkish origin is evidence of this. Only in rare circumstances were marriages concluded for political purposes, such as the marriage of Al-Nasir Mohammed Ibn Qala-un in AH 720 (AD 1320) to Khawand (Lady) Tawalbiyah, a Mongol princess.
The Mamluk ruling class wanted to keep affinity within them to create strong relations.
For example, al-Sultan Mohammad Ibn Qala'un married 11 of his daughters to princes such as Amir Bashtak.
Al-Amir Mankaly Bogha al-Shams married Khawand Sarah, sister of Sultan Al-Ashraf Shaaban.
Also, Khawand Zaynab, the sister of Sultan Farag Ibn Barquq, was married to the Amir Sudun al-Hamzawi.
Al-Zahir Barquq also married Fatimah, daughter of Amir Mangak al-Yusifi.
Sultans would not allow judges and witnesses to marry their Mamluks without their consent. The Mamluks did not try to marry into the Egyptian population.
There are a few rare exceptions to this rigid system as in the days of Sultan Al-Zahir Barquq, who allowed the Mamluks to live in Cairo and interact with the Egyptian population. They descended from their living quarters in the Citadel, married native women from the city, and sank into unemployment.
During the conclusion of marriage negotiations, much discussion revolved around the dowry, called "mahr," and alimony, or "sadaq," between the two parties.
It seemed that the groom always shied away from the "sadaq". It was the custom for the groom to pay part of the dowry before the conclusion of the marriage negotiations. The remainder was paid in installments, as is revealed by most of the marriage contracts that have been found
The historian Ibn Daniel speaks of how the one seeking marriage approaches the khatbah since she knows everyone, from prostitutes to all free and beautiful women in Egypt and Cairo. The khatbah pretends to sell perfume, incense, mirrors, and other feminine items.
The custom was that if the one seeking to get married agrees to the information provided by the khatbah, he quickly approaches her again and offers her a present such as a gram of gold. Then, he sends the khatbah to the family of the young woman to express his desire to marry their daughter. The Islamic Shariah, or law, states clearly the necessity of gaining the young woman's approval to a potential husband.
As for the class of ruling Mamluks, it seems that choosing a bride did not involve the khatbah. The people of the ruling class were given the freedom to choose brides from young women of their same tribe who had come to Egypt via the slave trade.
As a result, marriage in the ruling class was not political. The marriage of King Al-Salih Al-Mansur Qala'un to a young woman of Turkish origin is evidence of this. Only in rare circumstances were marriages concluded for political purposes, such as the marriage of Al-Nasir Mohammed Ibn Qala-un in AH 720 (AD 1320) to Khawand (Lady) Tawalbiyah, a Mongol princess.
The Mamluk ruling class wanted to keep affinity within them to create strong relations.
For example, al-Sultan Mohammad Ibn Qala'un married 11 of his daughters to princes such as Amir Bashtak.
Al-Amir Mankaly Bogha al-Shams married Khawand Sarah, sister of Sultan Al-Ashraf Shaaban.
Also, Khawand Zaynab, the sister of Sultan Farag Ibn Barquq, was married to the Amir Sudun al-Hamzawi.
Al-Zahir Barquq also married Fatimah, daughter of Amir Mangak al-Yusifi.
Sultans would not allow judges and witnesses to marry their Mamluks without their consent. The Mamluks did not try to marry into the Egyptian population.
There are a few rare exceptions to this rigid system as in the days of Sultan Al-Zahir Barquq, who allowed the Mamluks to live in Cairo and interact with the Egyptian population. They descended from their living quarters in the Citadel, married native women from the city, and sank into unemployment.
During the conclusion of marriage negotiations, much discussion revolved around the dowry, called "mahr," and alimony, or "sadaq," between the two parties.
It seemed that the groom always shied away from the "sadaq". It was the custom for the groom to pay part of the dowry before the conclusion of the marriage negotiations. The remainder was paid in installments, as is revealed by most of the marriage contracts that have been found
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