الفهرس 
IntroductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
Abstract
Amīr Silāḥ, grand master of the armour, it consists of two terms which are amīr that is used as a name of a post or referring to an order or rank or a honorary title as it was appeared with these designations in monumental inscriptions upon the Arab monuments. While the other term is silāḥ, weapon, which is a fighting instrument and it is masculine which can be feminized. It is a military administrative post which was famous in the Islamic nations of Turkish character .
al-Silāḥdār or al-silaḥdar is a name of a post which was famous during islamic states with a Turkish character. It consists of two terms which silāḥ or armour and dār which is a Persian word means the holder; it is called for the person who holds a weapon that is specialized for war and it belonged to the sultan. The Ottoman Turks retained the same title under its Persian form silāḥ-dār. The silāḥ-dār-aġā was the chief official in the Sulṭān’s chamber.
The subject of this research is chosen as it deals with a very important rank which has a long history in the Islamic world, who wasnot mentioned as an independent detailed study except some simple not detailed references which came during referring to the terms connected with posts , its ruling systems and military ranks . As well as that was mentioned by al-Saīd al-Bāz al-‘Arīnī about the mamlūks as he described his order in the mamlūk army. Also David Ayalon referred to this post in his articles about the mamlūk army . Ḥasan al-Bāšā also referred in his book (al-Funūn al-Islāmīyah w-l-Wazā’if ‘ala al-Aṯār al-‘Arabīya ) to its order in the mamlūk army as well as the architectural works and artistic objects which were made by the order of umarā’ silāḥ and al-silāḥdārīyah.
This research comprises an introduction , the first chapter which deals the position of umarā’ silāḥ during the Mamlūk period , it shows The post of amīr silāḥ before Mamlūk period ,the post of amīr silāḥ during Mamlūk period, the difference between amīr silāḥ ḫāṣikī and amīr silāḥ barānī, the position of amīr silāḥ throughout the classifications of the the historians. Also this chapter deals with the social position, the political position , the ecnomical position of amīr silāḥ during the Mamlūk period.
The second chapter presents amīr silāḥ’s nomination , his titles , costumes , robes of honour ,feudal charters and salaries . This chapter deals with the tasks of umarā’ silāḥ during the Mamlūk period which are primary tasks as supervision of al-silāḥdārīyah, conveying the arms to the sultan, supervision arsenal ,silāḥḫānah, the emirs of the arsenal, al-zardkāšīyya, leading of military campaigns and the army parade . Besides also , he had secondary tasks as social tasks religious tasks, then it will show the sword blazon of amīr silāḥ which is illustrated upon different objects or monuments of umarā’ silāḥ.
The third chapter shows the architectural works of umarā’ silāḥ in the Mamlūk society, extant monuments and extinct monuments with a description is given to display a comprehensive exploration to the monument.
The fourth chapter presents the artistic works of umarā’ silāḥ as metalwork , glasswork,woodwork objects ,textile and glazed earthen-ware and ceramic fragments, Marble work ;a detailed description is given to display a comprehensive exploration to the element with all its decorations . Finally we can assume that the umarā’ silāḥ contributed in the artistic and architectural life as an aspect of their power and authority.The fifth chapter presents the list of umarā’ silāḥ’s names in Egypt during the Mamlūk period.
The conclusion comprises the most important results which arose from the research and the study. the post of amīr silāḥ is a Military administrative post which had a history before the Mamlūk period as it was emerged and developped since Seljuk sultans . Also this study reveals the importance of amīr silāḥ during the Mamlūk period, his poition throughout the classifications of the sources as it was officiated just to a high-rank emirs. He was one of nine most important posts holders in the Mamlūk state and ranked among the amirs of a thousand , amīr alf.
This study reveals that the blazon of amīr silāḥ and al-silāḥdār is the sword. This study also discusses the tasks of umarā’ silāḥ which were primary tasks .Also this study traces an increase in the tasks of the umarā’ silāḥ during the Mamlūk period to comprise some secondary tasks. The work was intended to reveal the contributions of umarā’ silāḥ and al-silāḥdārīyah in the cultural life .These contributions varied among cultural , artistic and architectural works.
The work poses a light on the names and the numbers of umarā’ silāḥ, the dates of their nomination , deposition and death . In addition to the duration of being umarā’ silāḥ and their actual number as some of them held this post more than once.
The study examines the durations in which the post of umarā’ silāḥ was vacant . We can notice that the post of amīr silāḥ was vacant more than once during the Baḥrī period , but this can’t be seen during the Circassian period period except only at the end of the Mamlūk period and this can be seen.
The thesis is provided by a catalogue of photographs to illustrate all points recovered.The extant monuments of umarā’ silāḥ besides the artistic works. Some of these artistic works were photographed by the researcher from the Museum of Islamic Art at Cairo, Museum of al-Ḥarārah at al-Fusṭāṭ al-Ḥaḍārah Museum , other photos were extracted from the books, some objects were delivered by e-mails from different museums as we made connections with different museums as National Museum of Oriental Art, Louvre museums , Metropolitan Museum, Museo Correr-Venezia, The David Collection-Copenhagen K- Denmark, Dār al-Aṯār al-Islāmīyah al-Kuwait , The British Museum , Victoria and Albert Museum,Ḥims Museum National Museet-KaiseFriedrich in Berlin , Museum of Islamic Art.Doha-Qatar, Hermitage Museum .Beyond each photo cited a detailed description for the object stating the date, the material, the measurements, the location