Ibn al-Sal'us

Al-Sahib Shams ad-Din Muhammad ibn Uthman ibn Abi al-Raja' al-Tanukhi,^[1] better known as Ibn al-Sal'us (Arabic: ابن السلعوس) (died 10 December 1294), was an Arab merchant and the wazir (chief financial adviser) of the Mamluk sultan, al-Ashraf Khalil (r. 1290–1293). Ibn al-Sal'us began his career as a merchant based in Damascus, where he was eventually employed as a deputy muhtasib (market inspector). He gained a good reputation for his efforts at ensuring accountability in Damascene commerce. He was later appointed chief muhtasib in Cairo by Sultan al-Mansur Qalawun in 1290, but was soon after exiled to the Hejaz. When al-Ashraf Khalil succeeded Qalawun in November 1290, he recalled Ibn al-Sal'us to Cairo and appointed him wazir. Ibn al-Sal'us restored the political influence of the office of wazir and accompanied al-Ashraf Khalil during military expeditions against the Crusaders and the Armenians. His arrogance toward senior Mamluk emirs drew their resentment. In the months following al-Ashraf Khalil's murder, Ibn al-Sal'us was arrested and tortured to death on the orders of his rival, Emir Sanjar al-Shuja‘i.