Practising Diplomacy In The Mamluk Sultanate Gifts And Material Culture In The Medieval Islamic World Doris Behrensabouseif by Doris Behrens-abouseif 9781780768779, 178076877X instant download after payment.

Elaborate and sensational gifts were the hallmark of Mamluk diplomacy.
From Cairo, where they controlled the medieval spice trade and the holy
sites of Christianity and Islam, the Mamluk Sultans - conscious of their
humble slave origins - augmented their claims to legitimacy through
brilliant displays of diplomatic gift-giving, creating a celebrated
reputation for the Sultanate from Europe to the Far East. From spices,
ceremonial textiles and military objects to elephants and giraffes, and
even humans - either living or as severed heads - the offerings varied
in combination and emphasis according to the status and circumstances of
giver and receiver, but always created a sensation. Through an
unparalleled study of primary sources and rigorous fieldwork, this
original book - richly illustrated in color - explores the unpredictable
and nuanced art of the regal gift in the Mamluk Sultanate from
1250-1517. Doris Behrens-Abouseif not only provides the first study of
this subject, but makes an important contribution to the study of
diplomacy, economics, visual arts and material culture in the medieval
period.