The Sword of Ambition

Bureaucratic Rivalry in Medieval Egypt

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Middle East Religions, Islam, History, Middle East
Cover of the book The Sword of Ambition by 'Uthman ibn Ibrahim al-Nabulusi, NYU Press
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Author: 'Uthman ibn Ibrahim al-Nabulusi ISBN: 9781479801022
Publisher: NYU Press Publication: March 5, 2019
Imprint: NYU Press Language: English
Author: 'Uthman ibn Ibrahim al-Nabulusi
ISBN: 9781479801022
Publisher: NYU Press
Publication: March 5, 2019
Imprint: NYU Press
Language: English

Patronage, power, and competition in the Sultan’s court

The Sword of Ambition opens a new window onto interreligious rivalry among elites in medieval Egypt. Written by the unemployed bureaucrat 'Uthman ibn Ibrahim al-Nabulusi, it contains a wealth of little-known historical anecdotes, unusual religious opinions, obscure and witty poetry, and humorous cultural satire. Leaving no rhetorical stone unturned, al-Nabulusi pours his deep knowledge of history, law, and literature into the work—addressed to the Ayyubid sultan—as he argues against the employment of Coptic and Jewish officials.

Written at a time when much of the inter-communal animosity of the era was conditioned by fierce competition for scarce resources that were increasingly controlled by an ideologically committed Sunni Muslim state, The Sword of Ambition reminds us that “religious” conflict must always be considered in its broader historical perspective.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Patronage, power, and competition in the Sultan’s court

The Sword of Ambition opens a new window onto interreligious rivalry among elites in medieval Egypt. Written by the unemployed bureaucrat 'Uthman ibn Ibrahim al-Nabulusi, it contains a wealth of little-known historical anecdotes, unusual religious opinions, obscure and witty poetry, and humorous cultural satire. Leaving no rhetorical stone unturned, al-Nabulusi pours his deep knowledge of history, law, and literature into the work—addressed to the Ayyubid sultan—as he argues against the employment of Coptic and Jewish officials.

Written at a time when much of the inter-communal animosity of the era was conditioned by fierce competition for scarce resources that were increasingly controlled by an ideologically committed Sunni Muslim state, The Sword of Ambition reminds us that “religious” conflict must always be considered in its broader historical perspective.

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