Aybak vs Shi Jingtang

Aybak faced a rebellion from the Ayyubid prince An-Nasir Yusuf of Syria, who claimed the sultanate. Aybak defeated the Ayyubid forces at the Battle of Al-Kura in 1251. This victory consolidated Mamluk control over Egypt and prevented Ayyubid restoration.

Aybak became the first Mamluk Sultan of Egypt after marrying Shajar al-Durr and forcing her abdication. He was recognized by the Abbasid Caliph in Cairo. This marked the formal establishment of the Mamluk Sultanate, ending Ayyubid rule in Egypt.

Aybak was murdered in his bathhouse on the orders of his wife Shajar al-Durr. She feared he would replace her with another wife. His death triggered a succession crisis and led to the rise of his son Al-Mansur Ali, with Qutuz as regent.

Shi Jingtang, a general of Later Tang, rebelled against Emperor Li Congke. He sought help from the Khitan Liao dynasty, promising territorial concessions in return for military support.

With Khitan support, Shi Jingtang defeated Later Tang and proclaimed himself emperor, founding the Later Jin dynasty. He ruled as a vassal of the Liao emperor, paying tribute and acknowledging Liao suzerainty.

Shi Jingtang formally ceded the Sixteen Prefectures of the Youyun region to the Khitan Liao dynasty as payment for their aid. This territorial loss weakened Chinese defenses and gave the Liao a strategic foothold for centuries.

Shi Jingtang died, leaving a weak successor. His death triggered a power struggle that led to the Later Jin's eventual conquest by the Liao dynasty in 947.