Al-Kamil Shaban

Al-Kamil Sayf ad-Din Sha'ban ibn Muhammad ibn Qalawun, better known as al-Kamil Sha'ban, was the Mamluk sultan of Egypt between August 1345 and January 1346. He was the fifth son of al-Nasir Muhammad to serve as sultan, having succeeded his brother al-Salih Ismail. Sha'ban was toppled and killed during a revolt against his rule organized by Emir Shams ad-Din Aqsunqur on behalf of his brother al-Muzaffar Hajji.

Biography Sha'ban was a son of the long-reigning and autocratic Mamluk sultan al-Nasir Muhammad and one of his concubines, whose name is not provided by the Mamluk-era sources. When al-Nasir Muhammad died, several of his sons succeeded him as sultan, with Abu Bakr, Kujuk, al-Nasir Ahmad and al-Salih Ismail assuming the post in succession, although many of them held power in name only; influential Mamluk emirs often held real power. In August 1345, Sha'ban's full brother al-Salih Ismail died from an illness, and was succeeded by Sha'ban, thenceforth known as al-Kamil Sha'ban.

Sha'ban made a pact with the leading Mamluk emirs, chief among them Arghum al-Ala'i, his stepfather. Despite the pacts he made with the leading emirs, Sha'ban alienated them relatively quickly, along with the Mamluk governors of Syria and the officers of his personal guard. Consequently, a revolt against his rule occurred in September 1346. Sha'ban was subsequently captured and executed on 21 September 1346, while Arghum was imprisoned in Alexandria and died there. Before he died Sha'ban had a son who died in infancy and a daughter named A'isha, who married a certain Emir Rajab.