Maqrizi, the Mamluk chronicler, on the beginning of the Kurdish dynasty of Yemen

Al Maqrizi (15th-century): 

                  Al-Malik al-Mas'ūd Şalah al-Din Abū l-Muzaffar Yūsuf, known as Atsiz

 [He was also] known as Aqsīs; [he was] the son of the sultan al-Malik al-Kamil Nāşir al-Dīn Abū l-Muzaffar Muhammad, [who was] the son of the sultan al-Malik al-'Adil Sayf al-Din Abū Bakr Muhammad, [who was] the son of the father of kings, Nağm al-Din Abū l-Šukr Ayyüb b. Šādī b. Marwān al-Kurdī l-Ayyūbī.

He was born in Rabī II of the year 597 [January 1201]. In the year 611 [1214-1215], in the days of his grandfather [al-Malik al-Adil], his father appointed him over the territory of Yemen. He went there amidst 1,000 horsemen and 500 [men] from the armour bearers and the bowmen. He came to Mecca and from there he proceeded to Zabīd. He occupied it, and he acquired control over Tihama, Taʻizz, Sanaa and all the territories of Yemen.

He performed the pilgrimage in the year 619 [1223]. He fought the amir of Mecca, the Sharif Hasan b. Qatādah al-Hasanī. He overcame him and plundered Mecca. When it was the Day of [the standing at] 'Arafah, he pre-vented the standards of the caliph from preceding his father's standards. He publicly committed gravely sinful deeds of insolence towards God, among which [the following]: he took the habit of hunting from atop Zamzam, shooting bullets at the pigeons of the sacred mosque, and thus not taking the sacrosanctity of the Ka'bah seriously and causing a lot of bloodshed; it used to be so that when he was asleep in his house at the time of the ritual of running [between al-Şafa and al-Marwah], the armour bearers would hit the two groups at the running course with the tips of their swords to make them not disturb him while he was asleep [and recovering from] his heavy drunkenness from wine.

 Then he returned to Yemen. In the year [6]22 [1225] he left from it, leaving Nür al-Din 'Umar b. 'Alī b. Rasül al-Kurdī as his agent to govern it. He came to Cairo with fine presents and he settled down in the palace. Due to his father he obtained lofty status, the amirs and soldiers fearing him and dreading his influence.

When there came to him from Baghdad the caliphal robe of honour, he moved back to Yemen. He remained there until he was informed that his father had taken Damascus and he wished to take it instead of Yemen. He left with his possessions and goods, but he died [on his way North,] in Mecca, on 13 Ğumādá I of the year 626 [9 April 1229]. He was buried at al-Maʻlah. After him, Yemen was ruled by his representative 'Umar b. 'Alī b. Rasūl.

 

 Al-Malik al-Manşür Nür al-Din 'Umar

[He was] the son of 'Alī b. Rasul al-Kurdī.

 After the death of al-Malik al-Mas'üd he acquired control over Yemen. He sent a precious gift to al-Malik al-Kamil [in Egypt] and he said: "I am the representative of the sultan over the lands." [Al-Malik al-Kamil] confirmed his [authority] over it.

This Umar is the first of those who were in control of Yemen from the Rasūlids.

The oath of allegiance was sworn to him there in the year [6]29 [1232]. In [this year], the sermon in Mecca was also said in his name. His reign continued until he was killed in the year 647 [1249]. His son al-Malik al-Muzaffar Šams al-Din Yūsuf ruled after him.

This Nür al-Din performed the pilgrimage in the year 631 [1234], [travelling there] on especially bred she-camels.

 In the year [6]32 [1235] he sent lamps made from gold and silver to the Ka'bah.

 He also performed the pilgrimage in the year [6]39 [1242]. He abolished the non-shar'i taxes and [removed other] illegal customs from Mecca. He had that written down [on a slab] opposite the [Ka'bah's] black stone; that [writing] remained until Ibn al-Musayyab had it removed when he took control over Mecca in the year 646 [1248] and [when] he reinstated the non-shar'ī taxes and [other] illegal customs. [Nür al-Din] performed the rit-ual of fasting during the month of Ramadan in Mecca.

 It so happened in the year 643 [1246]-it was said [6]44 [1247]-that a strong wind was stirred up and tore apart the kiswah of the Kabah, throwing it off, the Ka'bah remaining uncovered. Umar b. Rasūl wanted to cover it [with a new kiswah]. But the šayh al-haram Afif al-Din Manşūr b. Man'ah al-Bagdādī prevented him from doing that, saying: "That can only come from the dīwān", that is, [from] the caliph. So [Ibn Man'ah] had it covered with a cloth made from cotton dyed in black, on which he mounted the old embroidered inscription bands.