Muslim Fortresses in the Levant: Between Crusaders and Mongols (78 page)

The vocabulary and especially the variety of verbs related to Mamluk building activities reveal some important and interesting facts. Unlike their predecessors, the Mamluks were adamant about extracting the most from the already existing fortresses in the region, and displayed no real will to construct new strongholds. This apporach is clearly conveyed to the reader through the chroniclers’ vocabulary and choice of words. A good example is perhaps the inventory of building activities conducted by Baybars, given by
(696/1297–764/1363).
constantly switches between five different verbs: (1)
jaddada
, to renew; (2)
, to better, correct, or to repair; (3)
, to build, to reconstruct, to restore or to repair; (4)
ansha’a
, to build, to construct, to set up or erect (from scratch); (5)
banā
, to build, to construct. Other verbs occurring in the sources though not often used are (6)
shayyada
, to build, to construct, to erect or set up;
³³
(7)
ramma
, to repair or to renovate;
³⁴
(8)
zāda
, to add;
³⁵
and (9)
, which can mean to strengthen or to build in a thorough or an exact manner.
³⁶

inventory includes religious, civil and military buildings. The verb most commonly used in speaking of fortresses and fortifications is
jaddada
, meaning to renew. When the verb
, which can mean to build or to reconstruct, is used, each case should be cross-checked separately with other sources of information (archaeological remains, inscriptions and other chronicles).
Banā
which simply means to build, occasionally comes after the author has pointed out that only particular sections were built, as in the following example: