A STUDY OF THE POLITICO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE OF THE MECCAN EMIRATE DURING THE BURJT PERIOD (78^-923 A.H./1382-1517 A._D_.I by Mohammed Said Abdullah Al-Siddiqi Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of London January 1974 ProQuest Number: 10731261 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 10731261 Published by ProQuest LLC(2017). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 2 v ABSTRACT Paradoxically,the religio-commercial importance of the Meccan region turned out to be little in favour and more against the interest of the Sha­ rif s of Mecca* They had long been compelled to acknowledge the sovereignty of various rulers and during the Burji period have also forfeited much of the their revenue as well as their control of/administration* t The present study deals with various aspects associated with the history of Mecca and shows the effect of the manifold grip of the Burji Sultans* The first two chapters concentrates on the manifestation of political activities of local Ashraf. The dependencies of Mecca have also been exami­ ned with particular reference to the elevation of certain Sharifs to the in the Hijaz exalted position of Na'ib al-Sultan/and the nature of relationship between the Sharifs of Mecca and non Egyptian Sultans. Chapters III-VII of this thesis discusses the general economic condi­ tion and various sources of income and expenditures of the Sharif s of Mecca are examined.The survey reveals that the Sharifs obtained a considerable amount of money from tolls,custom dues and other sources not related to trade,These various financial gains of the Sharifs diminished greatly aft­ er 828/1425 in consequence of the diversion of most of the revenue to Cairo by the Egyptian Sultans. Their other direct or indirect exploitation had a very detrimental effect on the general prosperity of the region. The last three chapters are devoted to treat issues relevant to local administration.lt shows that almost entire administration was controlled by the Sharifi officials until 828/1425•From that year onwards their authority dwindled and the Sultani officials acquired ever increasing influence and dominance.The simultaneous functioning of these two groups of officials ca­ used occasional friction which were usually resolved in favour of the Sult­ ani officials. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS It has been a great privilege and also a rewarding challenge to carry out this research under the supervisioi^bf Professor Bernard Lewis. His inspiring guidance and continuous encouragement have contributed much in enabling me to complete this rather thesis. It is to him that I offer my sincerest thanks and deepest gratitude. I am also very grateful to His Excellency al-Shaykh JJasan b. Abdullah 3tL al-Shaykh, the minister of education of Saudi Arabia, the rector of the University of Riya$, the cultural advisor and other officials in the Saudi Arabian Cultural Bureau for various financial and moral support. I am also indebted to Professor P.M.Holt, Dr. J.E.Wansbrough, and Mr. V.J.Parry, of the School of Oriental and African Studies for their valuable suggestions. I should also like to thank the staff of the Department of History, the Library and the Reading room of the School of Oriental and African Studies, the British Museum, and various libraries in Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Thanks are also due to several friends who have helped me, in one way or another, particularly Mr. A. Al-igassu for lending and allowing me the use of part of Sakhawi1s al-Dhayl which he had edited, Miss Maiy Bell, Mrs. Paddy Baker, Dr. Anna Irene Falk for translating some articles and Mrs. Nina Fuller for typing this thesis. Finally I should like to express my most profound gratitude to ny father, Shaykh Abu Said Abdullah, and to other members of the family whose continuous endurance and encouragement made possible the continuation of this research for a rather lengthy period. SYSTEM OF TRANSLITERATION OF ARABIC CHARACTERS Consonants Consonants ? * (except when $ initial) b h $ O t a Z c th t 'Z 3 t gh n z * fc CJ> f t* kh 3 q d *S k J> dh 6 i r < m J z O n dJ^ s $ h sh S w O-P y Lone: vowels Short vowels <ty^cL I a J__ a fp» s> U u <s 3L ~7 i Diohthongs ^ - i aw CS” ay iyy (final form T) ts\ j, ,— uww (final form u) Einally » ^ i at (construct state) and 0>l (article) al- • ABBREVIATIONS Maktaba *Arif ^ikma* Medina? Saudi Arabia. Arabic articld" Library of Aya Sofya* Istanbul* Turkey. Library of Besir Aga* Istanbul* Turkey, edited or edition. Library of Esat Effendi, Istanbul* Turkey. Encyclopaedia of Islam* 1st edition* Leiden, 191j5~*f2. Encyclopaedia of Islam, 2nd edition* Luzac and Co., London, i960 - in progress. Extract. Library of Eatifc, Istanbul,Turkey. Library of Koprulu, Istanbul, Turkey. Library of the University of Istanbul, Turkey. Maktabat al-^arara al-Makki, Mecca. Library of Nuri Osmaniye, Istanbul, Turkey, published or publisher. Library of Topkapi Sarayi Muzesi, Istanbul* Turkey. ’’Unpublished pages", title given by M. Mustafa to a portion of Ibn I,yas,s Bada*i* which the former had editted and published. 6 r CONTENTS Page Abstract .* . * *................. •• •• 2 Acknowledgements •• .. .. •» * • •• • * 5 System of transliteration of Arabic characters •« 4 Abbreviations •• .* *♦ •• .. *. * * 5 Introduction and some Notes on the Sources •• •« 9 Chapter I An account of the successive Sharifs of Mecca against the background of the local history 4 8 Chapter II Exposition of aspects relevant to the political situation in Mecca „ .. .. •• 1 0 0 a) The dependencies of Mecca •• .. 1 0 0 b) Occasional elevation of the Sharif of Mecca to the status of Na*ib ah*Sultan .. 1 1 1 c) Relations of the Sharif s of Mecca with the rulers of Egypt/Iraq and the Yemen •• 1 2 7 Chapter III Illustration of aspects related to trade and commerce in Mecca and Jedda .. *. 1 4 7 a) The commercial significance of the pilgrimage 1 4 7 : b) Revenue of the Sharifs from the local tolls and occasional dues •• •• •« 1 5 2 Chapter IV Share of the Sharif s in the^TJahr obtained in Jedda with particular reference to the Yemenite and the Indian merchants • • • • 1 6 2 Chapter V Financial gains of the Sharifs from the sources not related to trade •• *. •« 19 2 a) Gifts •• •• •• •« •# 1 9 2 b) Sharif * s customary claim to one third of the ^iadacjat *« • • • * # • * • 1 9 ^ 7, page c) Sharif’s right in al-Mawarith al-Hashariyya (escheat) •« •• •• . * •• •• 1 9 8 Chapter VI A brief survey of the Sadaqat and other contri­ butions sent to Mecca for charitable works •• 2 0 4 a) Charities of the Egyptian Sultans and dign­ itaries sent,in cash or kind,to assist indi­ viduals or maintain welfare institutions 2 0 4 b) Contribution of the Ottoman Sultans in the material well-being of the Meccans •. 2 1 1 c) Participation of the Indian rulers in the works of general welfare •• . • .. 2 1 8 Chapter VII Financial obligations and personal expendi­ ture of the ShaTrifs of Mecca . • •« 2 2 1 a) Amounts spent to maintain the family,or paid as allowances and salaries •• • » 2 2 1 b) Sums of money spent by the Sharif s in financ­ ing benevolent works «• * • . • 2 2 2 c) Voluntary or compulsory payments to the Egyp­ tian Sultans or their Amirs •• •• 2 2 4 Chapter VIII The extent of the Sharifs of Mecca’s partici­ pation in local administration •« •• 2 3 4 a) The officials appointed by and responsible to the Sharif s of Mecca ♦. .. 2 3 4 b) The influence of the Sharif s over the Sultani officials .* «• ,. .. 2 5 0 Chapter IX The posts held by the Sultani officials in Mecca 2 5 5 a) The officials appointed to the posts related to the Meccan sanctuary .. •, ». 2 5 5 8. page b^Qadis of four Sunni schools and the dominant position of the Shafa^i «. •• ., .. 2 5 8 c) Muhtasih .♦ •• .. .. «• 2 6 8 d) Bash al-Maraalik ,. .. „ .. .. 2 6 9 Chapter X The officials sent from Cairo to collect taxes in Jedda «• .. .. ♦ ♦ «. .. 2 8 1 a) Financial obligation of the officials towards the Egyptian Sultans •• •• •• 2 8 4 b) The influence and authority of the principal official in Jedda «, .. «, •• 2 8 8 c) The problems confronting the last Na*ib of Jedda and some of his achievements •• •• 2 9 3 Conclusion •• •• •• .. «• .. •• ». 2 9 8 Bibliography «• ♦♦ .. .. •• .. .. 5 0 6 INTRODUCTION AND COME NOTES ON THE SOURCES Introduction v The region of Mecca - which is the focal point of all the aspects dealt with in this thesis - lies* as is well known* within the region of the p-Jaz*1 once the keystone of the political struct­ ure of the Muslim empire. But before the end of the first century of the Hijra/8th century of the Christian era* the §ijaz found it­ self without real political influence and importance. Events in and around the region had reduced its status from that of an imperial province to that of a dependency of one or the other of the new centres of gravity of the Islamic world such as Syria* ^Iraq* Egypt* and even the Yemen.