Umair Ibn Khazam; The Lion of Egypt

 Umair Ibn Khazam was a  stalwart and  pious  legionnaire who lived in the 13th century CE. He was born in a noble family of the Banu Tamim  lineage, which had a long history of serving Islam and its caliphs. He grew up learning the Quran, the Hadith, and the  trades of war. He was especially devoted to the Ahl al- Bayt, the family of the Prophet Muhammad, and he  respected their courage and immolation.   When he was a  youthful man, he joined the army of the Ayyubid sultan al- Salih Ayyub, who ruled over Egypt and Syria. He fought against the Mongols, who had  raided the Islamic lands and hovered  to destroy them. He also fought against the zealots, who had  enthralled Jerusalem and other holy  metropolises. He also fought against the Cutthroats, a  uncommunicative  side that used murder and terror to achieve their  pretensions.   Umair Ibn Khazam proved himself to be a  gallant and  professed fighter, who  noway   stressed death or injury. He was always ready to defend Islam and its people, and he  noway   dithered to face any adversary. He earned the respect and admiration of his fellow dogfaces, as well as his commanders and sultans. He was given the title of" The Lion of Egypt" for his  frippery and strength.   One of his most  notorious battles was the Battle of Mansurah, which took place in 1250 CE. The zealots had launched a new  crusade to conquer Egypt, hoping to weaken the Muslim power in the region. They crossed the Nile swash and besieged the  megacity of Mansurah, where the Muslim army was  posted. The zealots were led by King Louis IX of France, who was  latterly canonized as Saint Louis by the Catholic Church.   The Muslim army was commanded by Rukn al- Din Baybars, a Mamluk general who would  latterly come the sultan of Egypt and Syria. Baybars was a close friend and  supporter of Umair Ibn Khazam, and they had fought together in  numerous battles. Baybars  cooked  a clever plan to trap and  master the zealots. He ordered his  colors to retreat from Mansurah, leaving behind some weak defenses. He  also  transferred Umair Ibn Khazam with a small force to attack the Crusader camp from before, while he himself led a large force to attack them from the front.   Umair Ibn Khazam followed Baybars' orders and launched a surprise attack on the Crusader camp at night. He caused chaos and confusion among the adversary ranks, killing  numerous of them and setting fire to their  canopies. He also managed to capture King Louis IX himself, along with his family Robert of Artois and  numerous other  patricians. He brought them to Baybars, who was overjoyed at this great palm.   The Battle of Mansurah was a decisive blow to the Crusader cause in Egypt. The remaining zealots were forced to surrender or flee. King Louis IX was redeemed for a large sum of  plutocrat and released. The Muslims celebrated their triumph and praised Allah for his help. Umair Ibn Khazam was hailed as a  idol and awarded  freehandedly by Baybars.   Umair Ibn Khazam continued to serve Islam and fight for its glory until his death. He  failed in another battle against the Mongols in 1260 CE, shortly before Baybars came the sultan. He  failed as a fatality, with his  brand in his hand and his faith in his heart. He left behind a  heritage of courage and  fidelity that inspired  numerous generations of Muslims.