Almost any survey of medieval Islamic history will cover the figure Shajar al-Durr (“Tree Pearls” in Arabic), who was one fewwomen to hold title Sultan, and only do so began her life as a slave. She is also well known pivotal Egyptian politics, she marked transition between Saladin’s Ayyubid dynasty (1171–1250 CE) Mamluk sultanate (1250–1517 CE). However, works that analyze al-Durr’s biography,...