Aljay al-Yusufi

Little is known about Aljay al-Yusufi's early life and career. It appears that he held the office of chief chamberlain (hajib al-hujjab) from Shawwal 768 /June 1367 to 10 Safar 769/6 October 1367.[2] Ibn Taghribirdi notes that he was simply a prominent Mamluk emir, until his marriage to the mother of the reigning sultan, Khwand Barakah Khatun. Thereafter, he rose quickly through the ranks: he was promoted to the position of amir silah in early 774 AH/ 1372 CE, and put in charge of the bimaristan at the same time.[3]

However, his fortune did not last. His wife died later in the same year (Dhu al-Qadah 774),[4] and was buried in the madrasah which she had constructed a few years earlier.

During the first days of the following year (6 Muharram 775AH/ 27 June 1373CE) Aljay had a bitter disagreement with the sultan, al-Malik al-Ashraf, over the inheritance of Khwand Barakah. This disagreement soon grew into a violent confrontation between the troops of the sultan and the mamluks of Aljay. In the ensuing battles, Aljay's troops were defeated, and he had to withdraw. The Sultan reportedly offered Aljay the position of governor in the Syrian province of Hamah, which Aljay was not ready accept, unless he was allowed to keep all his property, as well as his troops. The sultan was not ready to grant this concession and sent his troops to pursue Aljay, who drowned in the Nile while attempting to flee.[5]

According to the chronicler Ibn Taghribirdi, the sultan felt regret at the news of Aljay's death and ordered divers to retrieve the corpse of his opponent. al-Malik al-Ashraf then arranged for Aljay to be buried with honours in his mosque-madrasah (see below).[6]

Aljay commissioned the construction of a mosque and madrasah complex in the district of Al-Darb al-Ahmar in the year 774AH/ 1373CE. The mosque is of the cruciform type with four iwans, similar to the mosque-madrasahs of Sultan Hassan, or Sarghatmish. The most remarkable feature of the building is its ribbed dome.[7]