12th century · Last Burid ruler of Damascus (1140–1154)
Mujir al-Din Abaq
Last ruler of the Burid dynasty of Damascus; he tried to preserve his independence through alliance with the Kingdom of Jerusalem, but Nur al-Din entered the city in 1154.
BIOGRAPHICAL DOSSIER
Life and historical role
Life and political setting
Mujir al-Din Abaq was a member of the Burid dynasty founded by Toghtekin and came to head Damascus at a young age in 1140. In the early years of his rule real power lay with the atabeg Mu'in al-Din Unur.
Role in the Crusades
In 1148 he weathered the Second Crusade's siege of Damascus under Unur's leadership. After Unur's death in 1149 he maintained the alliance with the Kingdom of Jerusalem, paying tribute against Nur al-Din's growing pressure. This policy caused discontent among the city's people. In April 1154 Nur al-Din besieged the city and entered Damascus with popular support; Abaq was given an iqta' near Homs.
Historical significance and source problems
The passage of Damascus to Nur al-Din united Syria from Aleppo to Damascus under a single ruler and changed the strategic position of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Abaq's later life and date of death are uncertain. Ibn al-Qalanisi reports events in Damascus as a contemporary witness.
Biographical information is linked to the sources shown on the page and to the connected event records. Disputed dates are given as approximate, gaps are not filled by conjecture, and later literary or visual depictions are not treated as contemporary portraits.