The internal history of Egypt at this period offers nothing but tedious strifes between different emirs, and specially between the two most powerful, Beybars and Sellar, who would have often brought it to open warfare had not their friends and followers intervened.  They agreed, however, on one point, namely, to keep the sultan as long as possible from taking over the reins of government, and to keep him as secluded as possible in order to deprive him of all influence.  Whilst Sellar was wasting immense sums, the sultan was in fact almost starving.  When Sellar went on a pilgrimage to Mecca, he paid the debts of all the Moslems who had retired to this town; he further distributed ten thousand malters of fruit amongst the poor people in the town, and so much money and provisions that they were able to live on it for a whole year.  He also treated the inhabitants of Medina and Jiddah in an equally generous way.  The sultan, who was hunting in Lower Egypt, at the same time tried in vain to obtain a small loan from the Alexandrian merchants, to buy a present for his wife.  Finally, his vizier, who had granted him two thousand dinars ($5,060), was accused on Sellar’s return of embezzling the public money, was led round the town on a donkey, and beaten and tortured so long that he succumbed under his torments.

In the year 1307, when Nasir was twenty-three years old, though still treated as a child, he attempted, with the help of the Emir Bektimur, who commanded the Mamluks in the palace, to seize the persons of his oppressors.  The plan failed, for they had their spies everywhere, and the only result was that the sultan’s faithful servants were banished to Syria, and the sultan himself was more oppressed than ever.  It was two years before he succeeded in deceiving his tyrants.  He expressed the wish to make a pilgrimage to Mecca; this was granted, as the emirs saw nothing dangerous in it, and, moreover, as a religious duty, it could not be resisted.  As soon as he reached the fortress Kerak, with the help of those soldiers in his escort who were devoted to his cause, and having deceived the governor by means of false letters, he obtained possession of the fortress, and immediately declared his independence of the guardianship of Sellar and Beybars.  Sellar and Beybars, on hearing this, immediately summoned the sultan to return to Cairo; but, even before they received his answer, they realised that their rule was over, and that either they must quit the field, or Nasir must be dethroned.  After long consideration amongst themselves, they proceeded to the choice of another sultan, and the choice fell on Beybars (April, 1309).  Beybars accepted the proffered throne on the condition that Sellar also retained his place.  He confirmed the other emirs also in their offices, hoping thereby to gain their support.

[Illustration:  049.jpg interior of the mosque, Kilawun]