Who was Al-Malik al-Kamil Muhammad?
Al-Malik al-Kamil Muhammad belonged to the generation that inherited Salah al-Din's military and building projects and carried them forward. According to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the southern residential part of the Citadel was completed under al-Kamil, after Salah al-Din began the military section and work continued under al-Malik al-Adil.
He is also credited with the present mausoleum of Imam al-Shafi'i in its main Ayyubid form, which he built over the burial place early in the 7th century AH after his mother was buried at the site.
How did they shape Cairo?
Under al-Kamil the Citadel began to grow beyond a purely military role into a fuller seat of government and residence. At the same time, the mausoleum of Imam al-Shafi'i helped establish the Qarafa as a religious and urban area of great importance south-east of Cairo.
His legacy joins the seat of power on the Muqattam with the centre of religious visits in the Qarafa – two areas that shaped Cairo's growth for centuries.
Monuments linked to Al-Malik al-Kamil Muhammad
Where to see their legacy today
Pair a visit to the Citadel with the mausoleum of Imam al-Shafi'i; the two sites show two faces of Ayyubid building: power and fortification on one side, religious architecture on the other.