Incense burner, end of 13th or beginning of 14th century;
Mamluk
Damascus, Syria
Brass, inlaid with gold and silver; Diam. 6 in. (15.2 cm)
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan,
1917 (17.190.2095)
When Marco Polo arrived in Acre,
it was the last stronghold in the narrow strip of territories
along the eastern Mediterannean precariously held by the Crusaders
(Acre fell to the Muslims in 1291). The rest, including the
holy city of Jerusalem where Marco retrieved the sacred oil
from Christ's tomb for Khubilai Khan, was controlled by Muslims
(whom Marco called "Saracens"). Most of this land
was conquered by Baybars
al-Bunduqdari (r. 1260–77), a fearless—and
feared—military leader, who struck fear in the hearts
of Marco and many others in the Middle East. Baybars’
political and religious zeal targeted Muslims he considered
immoral in addition to Christians and Jews. He was also an
astute administrator who allowed capable Christians and Jews
to continue to serve in his government.
