Dr. Ibtihaj Al-Nour Al-Tom Al-Qurashi
Assistant Professor, Department of History – Faculty of Education
University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
Dr. Siwar Al-Dahab Mohammed Adam Abdullah
Assistant Professor, Department of History – Faculty of Education
Blue Nile University, Sudan
Abstract:
The research focuses on the religious and military construction, or architectural, of Ayyubid Egypt in the period 567-648 AH (1171-1250 AD), intending to analyze the building and design of mosques, madrasas’ (schools), domes, as well as khanqahs and the role they played in the transmission of education and culture. Additionally, the paper focuses on the development of military fortifications structures, including castles and citadels, which were needed due to ongoing warfare against the Crusaders, designed for security and protection. Utilizing a historical-descriptive and analytical approach, this study employs a mix of primary and secondary research sources, including historical documents, pamphlets, and scholarly peer-reviewed journals. The findings reveal that the Ayyubids used architectural languages of the Fatimids, for instance, tombs with domes, but also modified them by substituting the triangular pendentives with corner squinches. The study also concluded that Ayyubids architecture had European artistic influences due to cultural contact as a result of the Crusades.