Practising diplomacy in the Mamluk Sultanate: gifts and material culture in the medieval Islamic world

Abstract

List of Illustrations (with copyright credit) Acknowledgement Note to the Reader Introduction PART ONE: THE CULTURE OF GIFTS I. The World of the Mamluks II. Protocol and Codes of Gift Exchange Diplomatic Hospitality and Safety The Meaning of Diplomatic Gifts Monetary Value of Gifts Recycled, Used and Requested gifts PART TWO: GIFTS IN GEO-POLITICAL CONTEXTS III. The Red Sea and Indian Ocean Connection Yemen India IV. Africa Ethiopia Nubia The Maghrib West Africa (Mali and Borno) V) The Black Sea, Anatolia, Iran, Central Asia The Golden Horde at the Black Sea The Ilkhanids and the Jalayirids in Iran and Iraq The Timurids in Central Asia The Turkmens Qara Qoyunlu Aq Qoyunlu Dhul Qadir The Safavids The Ottomans VI Europe Castile and Aragon The Cyprus Connection Venice Florence PART THREE: THE GIFTS VII Tradition and Legacy Traditional Diplomatic Gifts in the Middle-East and the Muslim World The Fatimid and Ayyubid Legacies VIII From and for the Mamluks Gifts for the Mamluks The Mamluk Assortment of Diplomatic Gifts Spices and porcelain Mamluks and Craftsmen Giraffes, Elephants and other Animals Balsam, Theriac and other Local Products Religious Gifts Textiles Material Witnesses of Mamluk Diplomatic Textiles The Knight's Outfit Material Witnesses of Mamluk Military and Equestrian Gifts IX Gifts and Mamluk Identity Export Iconography of Mamluk Gifts Conclusion