Battle of Cairo (1367)

The Battle of Cairo or Asandamur's rebellion was a clash that took place in late 1367 during the reign of the Mamluk sultan al-Ashraf Sha'ban and ended with the crushing of the rebellion against his rule.

Background
In late 1367, Emir Sayf al-Din Asandamur bin Abdullah an-Nasiri and his newly acquired mamluks moved against al-Ashraf Sha'ban. The revolt was also supported by Emir Khalil ibn Qawsun, the son of former regent Emir Qawsun (d. 1342). Khalil had been promised the throne by Asandamur.

Battle
According to a contemporary Mamluk chronicler, al-Nuwayri al-Iskandarani, al-Ashraf Sha'ban was significantly assisted by the "common people", who killed many of the mamluk rebels, "making them bite the dust". The support of the commoners was enlisted by al-Ashraf Sha'ban's loyalist commanders, emirs Asanbugha Ibn al-Abu Bakri and Qushtamur al-Mansuri, both of whom withdrew from the battle in Cairo and left the commoners to fight Asandamur's forces alone. The commoners were able to turn the tide in favor of al-Ashraf Sha'ban's partisans, and the latter's emirs and Royal Mamluks returned to the battle, defeated the rebels and arrested Asandamur.

Aftermath
Because of their loyalty and key support during the revolt, al-Ashraf Sha'ban treated the commoners well throughout his reign.