Abbasid envoy in Ayyubid Damascus

In 1207, an Abbasid-Kurdish ambassador arrived in Ayyubid territory bearing a letter from the caliph along with the robe of honor, symbols of formal recognition and investiture. The envoy's mission was to affirm and legitimize the rule of al-ʿAdil, one of the most powerful Ayyubid rulers. Describing the occasion, the thirteenth-century historian Ibn Waṣil writes:

Then the shaykh Shihab al-Din left Aleppo, and with him al-Malik al-Zahir sent the Qadi Baha' al-Din ibn Shaddad. To this latter he had given 3000 dinars to be broadcast when al-Malik al-'Adil donned the caliphal robe of honor. Al-Malik al-Mansur and al-Malik al-Mujahid likewise sent money for the same pur-pose. When the shaykh Shihab al-Din approached Damascus, al-Malik al-'Adil ordered his armies (al-'asakir) to go out to meet him at al-Ghassula, while he himself and his two sons. al-Malik al-Mu'azzam and al-Malik al-Ashraf. met him at the castle. The markets were locked up. and the leading men of the city| went out to meet him. It was a grand occasion. The next day al-Malik al-'Adil took his seat in the Dar Rid-wan in the citadel of Damascus. The Qadi Baha' al-Din entered the chamber, along with the two envoys sent by the lords of Hama and Homs. A long broad-sleeved tunic (jubba) of black satin with a band (tiraz) inscribed in gold was placed upon al-Malik al-'Adil and a black turban with a band inscribed in gold on his head. He was ringed with a collar of richly bejewelled gold and girded with a sword whose scabbard was completely em-bellished with gold.

He rode a gray stallion outfitted in gold and above his head floated a black standard upon which the caliphal titles were written in white. As al-'Adil put on the robe of honor, the Qadi Baha' ad-Din and the two envoys of the lords of Hama and Homs showered upon him their gold coins. Baha' al-Din presented to him fifty pieces of the most exquisite fabric, while the envoys from the other princes scattered gold upon him. Then the caliphal ambassador bestowed on both al-Malik al-Mu'azzam and al-Malik al-Ashraf a black turban and a black robe with broad sleeves, and upon the Sahib Safi al-Din ibn Shukr the like was bestowed. Al-Malik al-'Adil, his two sons, and his wazir now rode in solemn procession outside the walled town and then returned to the citadel through the Bab al-Nasr. The Sahib Safi al-Din ibn Shukr, sitting on a chair set up for him, then read out the caliphal diploma of investiture, in which al-Malik al-'Adil was addressed as "Shahanshah, King of Kings, Friend of the Commander of the Faithful. "Then the shaykh Shihab al-Din proceeded to Egypt, where he bestowed a robe of honor on al-Malik al-Kamil. Events in Egypt were like those of Damascus in pomp and circumstance and in the glory accorded the caliph's envoy. Al-Malik al-Kamil likewise rode in procession attired in the caliph's gifts. Then Shihab al-Din returned to the caliphal court, having received high honors.