Archival Overview
Egyptian Mamluk polymath, financial administrator, and encyclopedist who authored 'Nihayat al-Arab fi Funun al-Adab', a monumental thirty-three-volume encyclopedia preserving medieval Islamic science, history, and administration.
Biographical Record
Shihab al-Din Ahmad ibn Abd al-Wahhab al-Nuwayri (1279–1333) was born in Upper Egypt and served as high chancellor and supervisor of the royal finances and estates under Mamluk Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad. Possessing rare bureaucratic experience and literary erudition, he dedicated over twenty years to compiling the total knowledge of his civilization.
His magnum opus, Nihayat al-Arab fi Funun al-Adab (The Ultimate Ambition in the Arts of Erudition), spans thirty-three thick volumes organized into five branches: the heavens and earth, the human being, the animal kingdom, the plant world, and the history of nations. His encyclopedia provides the most detailed historical account of the Mongol invasions, Mamluk administration, and North African geography.
Key Life Milestones
Financial Administration of the Mamluk Sultanate
Reformed the treasury and land registries across Egypt and Syria under Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad.
Completion of Nihayat al-Arab (33 Volumes)
Completed one of the largest encyclopedias in human history, preserving vital records of world history.
Memorial Guestbook & Tributes
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Final Resting Place
Perpetual MemorialCairo, Egypt