Секция I
10
the European Archive kept at the National Archives in Cairo. It contains abundant
materials for the administrative, military, economic and religious activities of the
Egyptian administration in Syria, as well as information about European Consulates
and their activities. This source is especially important for the scholars working
in the field of history and documentation. Some of these documents and parts of
archives have already been published, including «Orders and correspondence issued
by Muhammad Ali Pasha and his son Ibrahim», and «The Royal Archives of Egypt
and the Origins of Egyptian Expedition to Syria» (1831–1841) which were published
by Dr. Asad Rustom in Arabic and in English.
The second type
: contemporary sources describing events in Syria, for example:
Arab origins of the history of Syria during the reign of Mohammed Ali Pasha,
political papers gathered by Asad Rustom from
Sharia‘a
courts and records of the
famous families in Syria.
Ibrahim Pasha, the Egyptian conquests in Palestine, Lebanon and Syria, citing
reports of the Consul of Austria in Acre and Sidon (1831–1841).
The third
type
: modern Egyptian studies including, such works as Latifa Salem,
Egyptian rule in Syria.
Tülay Yürekli (Adnan Menderes University, Aydin, Turkey)
The Intelligence Activities during Medieval Turk-Islam States:
Example of Zangids and Ayyubids
It is known that postal organization, which is named
barîd
in Islamic states,
was already established by Mu‘awiya I in the early period of Islamic hoistory. All
Islamic states used and benefited greatly from it. The postal system duties included
not only offical postal rootine, but also collecting different kinds of information and
intelligence. Nizam al-Mulk, prominent figure in the time of the Great Seljukids, said
that the regulation of intelligence and
barîd
is one of the major tasks of the Sultan.
Atabeg ‘Imâdaddin Zangi gave much attention to the intelligence because of
uphill battles against the Crusaders and a necessity to follow the political situation
in neighbouring countries. In the period of Nuraddin Mahmûd the usage of pigeons
was spreaded wide in his country by the reason of expanding borders and increase
of the numer of battles againts the Crusaders.
The intellligence activities of different kinds were very importnat for the Sultans.
The information provided by merchants, ambassadors, spies, commonners, captives
and refugees could determine the fate of the war. Thus, Zangi
“payed attention to the
situation in the neigbouring states. He was informed about the neigbour rulers whatever
they were doing even when they were alone. There were his men at the court of the Great
Seljukids and they reported what they were doing in the period of war and peace”
1
.
1
El-Bâhir,78.
