18/02/0871:
On Monday 18/02/0871, amir Sayf al-Dīn Barsbāy b. ʿAbd Allāh al-Bajāsī, the nāʾib of Damascus, passed away in Damascus, aged over 60, after a long disease. He had been manumitted by amir Tanbak al-Bajāsī, the nāʾib of Damascus, who had revolted against al-Malik al-ʾAshraf Barsbāy, and who had been killed in 827. There were some 44 years between the death of Barsbāy and that of his ʾustādh, Tanbak. When Barsbāy’s ʾustādh was killed, he was transferred to several khidmas, until he became a sultani mamluk, and was promoted, until he became an amir 10 during the reign of al-Malik al-Ẓāhir Jaqmaq. Then the latter made him nāʾib of Alexandria. Following, during the reign of al-ʾAshraf ʾĪnāl, he became an amir 100. Then, when the ḥājib ḥujjāb Jānibak al-Qaramānī al-Ẓāhirī died in 10/861, he was made ḥājib ḥujjāb instead of Jānibak. Then, he was transferred to the position of ʾamīr ʾākhūr kabīr in 864, after the death of Yūnus al-ʿAlāʾī, which took place after Barsbāy had become an in-law of the sultan, by marrying the daughter of amir Bardbak, the dawādār thānī, who herself was the granddaughter of the sultan. Barsbāy did not recompense the sultan for all favours that the latter had bestowed upon him, yes, when the people revolted against his son, al-Malik al-Muʾayyad ʾAḥmad, he even betrayed him and sided with al-Malik al-Ẓāhir Khushqadam. Everybody blamed Barsbāy for that. If only al-Malik al-Ẓāhir Khushqadam had shown his recognition towards him for doing so, but no, he removed him shortly afterwards, (appointing him) as nāʾib of Tripoli. Then, he was transferred to the office of nāʾib of Damascus, through payment. Yet, he was not happy in Damascus, for he fell ill and remained ill until he died. He was a wise man, who refrained from iniquities and sins, but not from money, as he was very avaricious. God forgive him!