Scholarly Rivalry and the Patronage System in Fifteenth-Century Egypt: Al-Ayni, Al-Maqrizi, and Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani as Models

Abstract

Anne F. Brodbridge's article, "Scholarly Rivalry and the Patronage System in Fifteenth-Century Egypt: Al-Ayni, Al-Maqrizi, and Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani as Models," examines the relationship between scholars and the military elite in the Mamluk period using the lives of Ibn Hajar, Al-Ayni, and Al-Maqrizi as examples. The article illustrates a system of mutual benefit whereby the military elite provided financial support to scholars in exchange for legitimacy and cultural participation. For scholars, career advancement often depended on social and academic competition within the framework of Mamluk patronage. This situation led to rivalries and conflicts as scholars sought the satisfaction of patrons and the associated rewards. The text specifically mentions the rivalry between Al-Ayni and Al-Maqrizi after an incident that happened between 1399-1401 AD, in addition to the ongoing conflicts between Al-Ayni and Ibn Hajar. The author suggests that studying the lives of these scholars provides insight into the types of rivalries common among scholars of the period. In addition, it reveals the different, and sometimes contradictory, definitions of success in their society.