The Nāṣirī Generations 113: VIII. MALIK-UL-’ADIL, ABU-BIKR, SON OF AIYUB, SON OF SHADI, AL-KURDI.

113

Some time subsequent to Malik-ul-’Adil’s having ascended the throne of the kingdom of Sham, and after he had defeated Malik-ul-Afzal, who had brought an army from the side of Misr, and he [’Adil] had reduced the various provinces of the territory [entrusted to him] under his sway, the daughter of a Kaisar of the Farangs entered his haram, and he married her, and that daughter bore him several children.
This Malik-ul-’Adil was a sagacious, discerning, competent, experienced, and crafty man, and he ruled for a great number of years. He held possession of the different parts [of his territory], to the best of his judgment and ability; and his adversaries kept quietly and peaceably each within his own dominions, and hence he had but seldom to carry on hostilities.
He had several distinguished sons, who acquired great renown, such as Malik-ul-Kamil, Malik-ul-Muazzam-i-’Isa, Malik-ul-Ashraf, Malik-ul-Fa’iz, Malik-ul-’Aziz, Malik-ul-Awhad, Malik-ul-Mamdud, Malik-ul-Amjad, and Malik-us-Salih-i-Isma’il. Each one of them was a sovereign over a different tract of territory comprised within his dominions; and the annals of the good works, and the circumstances of the sovereignty of his sons, will remain [inscribed] on the pages of time, in the countries of Hijaz, Sham, and Yaman, until the resurrection at the last day.
Each of the different portions of his dominions Malik-ul-’Adil conferred upon one of his sons, whilst he himself continually moved about from one part to another with his forces, and, with equity and sagacity, guarded and watched over them.
He always had a bow at his side, and such was his great strength, that no one in that part, or at that time, could bend his bow on account of its great tallness. He was noted, both by friend and foe, for his truthfulness of word. The whole of the enemies of his country, who were the infidels of Rum and the Farangs, placed implicit trust in his word; for the dust of falsehood had never soiled the skirts of the robe of his word and his promise. Throughout his dominions no human being suffered from tyranny or oppression.
He reigned in tranquillity and affluence for a period of thirty odd years, and died.