829 AH, 02/07
Then on Friday, 2 Rajab of the year ’29, the mujāhidīn departed Cairo and traveled from the Būlāq shore to Alexandria and Damietta. The commanders of the army were a large group of amirs of 1,000, amirs ṭablakhānāh, amirs of 10, ʾaʿyān al-khāssakīya, and a large group of the ʾaʿyān of the amirs of Damascus and elsewhere. They were, from among the commanders of 1,000:
al-ʾamīr ʾĪnāl al-Jakamī, ʾamīr majlis. He was the commander of the army on the ships at sea. With him were:
al-ʾamīr Qarā Murād Khujā al-Shaʿbānī, ʾamīr jāndār, one of the commanders of 1,000, and a number of amirs and mamluks of the sultan and others.
The commander of the army on land was al-ʾamīr Taghrī Birdī al-Maḥmūdī al-Nāṣirī, raʾs nawbat al-nuwab. With him was:
al-ʾamīr Ḥusayn b. ʾAḥmad, called Taghrī Birmish, nāʾib al-qalʿa, and on that day one of the commanders of 1,000. These four were the commanders of 1,000.
From the amirs ṭablakhānāh were:
al-ʾamīr Qānṣūh al-Nawrūzī,
al-ʾamīr Yashbak al-Sūdūnī al-Mushidd, who became ʾatābak in the reign of al-Malik al-Ẓāhir Jaqmaq,
al-ʾamīr ʾĪnāl al-ʿAlāʾī, third raʾs nawba, I mean al-Malik al-ʾAshraf ʾĪnāl, sultan of our time,
and another amir whose name does not come to me now.
Those amirs of 10 who went were a great number.
The amirs of Damascus were:
al-ʾamīr Ṭūghān al-Sayfī Taghrī Birdī, one of the commanders of 1,000 of Damascus. He was dawādār of my late father, and his mamlūk,
and a large group of other amirs of Damascus below his rank.
The amirs departed on this day, and the mujāhidūn followed them on the Nile in groups until the last of them sailed on Saturday, 11 Rajab.

The day of the departure of the mujāhidūn at the Būlāq shore was a day beyond description. The people assembled there to watch those who were departing, from regions, countries and districts, to the point that a man could not pass through the Būlāq shore without excessive trouble and hardship. People crossed to the western side, to the Minbāba shore and Būlāq al-Takrūr. They pitched tents and huts there. In addition to this, The river had been strewn with ships, in which were pleasure-seekers. As for the houses of Būlāq, no one could manage to stay in one without extensive renown, and great wealth. The days passed happy and joyful for the people there. They implored God Almighty to give victory to the Muslims, and for their safe return, and for booty. They all proceeded to the harbor of Damietta and the harbor of Alexandria. They prepared for the campaign. The sultan waited expectantly for news of their campaign to reach him.