شجرة الدر

شجرة الدر (Shajar al-Durr) is a historical novel by Jurji Zaydan, part of his celebrated series Novels of the History of Islam, dramatizing one of the most remarkable careers in medieval Egyptian history.

The novel tells the story of Shajar al-Durr, a woman of slave origin who rose to become the first woman to rule Islamic Egypt. Following the death of the Ayyubid sultan and the turmoil of the Crusader wars, she seizes and holds power at the pivotal moment when the Ayyubid dynasty gives way to the Mamluks. Against a backdrop of court intrigue, war, and shifting alliances, Zaydan portrays a formidable, complex figure navigating a world determined to deny her authority.

Blending documented history with romance and political drama, the book exemplifies Zaydan's project of teaching Islamic history through vivid storytelling. A compelling entry in modern Arabic historical fiction centered on an extraordinary woman.