- Title: Egyptian Mamluk dynasty descendant aims to preserve royal legacy
- Date: 4th November 2018
- Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (OCTOBER 31, 2018) (REUTERS) BOAT APPROACHING GEZIRET AL-DAHAB ISLAND WORKERS TYING BOAT INSCRIPTION ON BUILDING READING (English): "Golden Island Estate" GATEWAY IN GARDEN FOUNTAIN IN PALACE GARDEN VIEW OF ARCHED GATEWAY MAN CLAIMING TO BE PRINCE FROM MAMLUKS' DYNASTY, NAGUIB SHARKAS, WALKING WITH FLY SWAPPER IN PALACE VARIOUS OF SHARKAS WALKING IN PALACE PALACE GARDEN / ARCHED WALKWAYS ARCHED GATEWAY FOUNTAIN AL-MAMLUK EMBLEM ON WALL AL-MAMLUK EMBLEM IN PALACE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MAMLUK DECENDANT, NAGUIB HASSAN ABDALLAH SHARKAS, SAYING: "Of course with this house I wanted to conclude by bringing back the glory (of ancestors). I immigrated and I had nothing left in Egypt. Our history was being forgotten and by (building this) I'm reviving it. My grandparents' memory, God bless their souls, will be remembered." ARCHED WALKWAY ANTIQUES AT PALACE INTERIOR OLD FURNITURE AND ANTIQUES INSIDE PALACE PAINTING OF MAMLUK INSIDE PALACE VARIOUS OF PAINTING ON WALL SHARKAS FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHS ON COUNTER PAINTING ON WALL VARIOUS OF BLUE DOOR ON PALACE SIDE SIDE VIEW OF PALACE WITH STAIRS VARIOUS OF ARCHED WALKWAY AND GATE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MAMLUK DECENDANT, NAGUIB HASSAN ABDALLAH SHARKAS, SAYING: "Of course it is true but we are not alone. There are several families with history dating back to the Mamluks or the Circassians. They are part of big and noble families and among the people now." GARDEN WALKWAY OF PALACE MAMLUK EMBLEM ON GATE EMBLEM ON PALACE WALL GATEWAY VARIOUS OF VIEW OF PALACE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MAMLUK DECENDANT, NAGUIB HASSAN ABDALLAH SHARKAS, SAYING: "When I was young I had the idea that one day I was going to build a house. Any man would like to build a house. My ambition was higher (than the rest of society)." ROYAL BOAT BOAT LEAVING PALACE
- Embargoed: 18th November 2018 15:49
- Keywords: Mamluks in Egypt Prince from the Mamluk dynasty in Egypt Egypt history
- Location: CAIRO, EGYPT
- City: CAIRO, EGYPT
- Country: Egypt
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA001953AL3P
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:In the heart of a small Cairo island in the river Nile lives a man who claims to be a prince working on restoring his forefathers' dying legacy.
Naguib Sharkas is one of the last members of the Mamluks, a royal dynasty that once ruled Egypt. He has returned from abroad to build a palace in commemoration of his maternal great-grandfather's legacy.
Reachable only by boat, Sharkas' palace incorporates Mamluk marks on every wall while gardens surround the arch-like buildings and gateways.
Geziret Al Dahab or Gold Island is surrounded only by farmland and small homes but the palace stands tall and is visible from across the island.
Sharkas built the iconic palace 20 years ago, in commemoration of a dying pedigree and to forever preserve the once powerful dynasty.
"Of course with this house I wanted to conclude by bringing back the glory (of ancestors). I immigrated and I had nothing left in Egypt. Our history was being forgotten and by (building this) I'm reviving it. My grandparents' memory, God bless their souls, will be remembered," he said.
After spending his own money to build the palace, Naguib now allows visits from curious strangers.
"When I was young I had the idea that one day I was going to build a house. Any man would like to build a house. My ambition was higher (than the rest of society)."
According to Sharkas, his great grandfather was Al-Sharif Hassan who was the assigned Ottoman deputy leader of Egypt with the title Minister of Ministers. Hassan's sons married the granddaughters of the Mamluks.
The Mamluks dynasty ruled Egypt for more than 260 years and ended with the Ottoman conquest in 1517. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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