Burid dynasty


The Burid dynasty or the Emirate of Damascus was a Sunni Muslim dynasty of Oghuz Turkic origin which ruled over the Emirate of Damascus in the early 12th century, as subjects of the Seljuk Empire.

History

The first Burid ruler, Toghtekin, began as a servant to the Seljuk ruler of Damascus, Duqaq. Following Duqaq's death in 1104, he seized the city for himself.
The dynasty was named after Toghtekin's son, Taj al-Muluk Buri. The Burids gained recognition from the Abbasid caliphate in return for considerable gifts. In return, the caliphate did not interfere in the emirate.
The Burids ruled the city until 1154, when it was taken by the ruler of Aleppo, Nur ed-Din, founder of the Zengid dynasty.
The Burids lost to the Crusaders in the battle of Marj al-Saffar but were able to prevent the Second Crusade from capturing Damascus.
File:Burids. Shihab al-Din Mahmud Dimashq mint. Dated AH 533.jpg|thumb|center|upright=1.5|Coinage of the Burid ruler Shihab al-Din Mahmud. Dimashq mint, dated AH 533. This coin gives Shihab al-Din’s full name and patronymic, as well as citing his Seljuq overlords, Sanjar and Mas‘ud, and the Abbasid caliph, al-Muqtafi.

Burid emirs of Damascus