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The International Institute for Central Asian
Studies (IICAS) is pleased to announce the release of the commented translation
from Arabic into Russian of the treatise “Eghathatt al-Omma be Kashf al-Ghumma”
(Helping the believers by explaining the causes of the disaster), written by
the famous historian Taqi al-Din al-Maqrizi (1364–1442).
This work can be considered the most complete
collection of information on the economy of medieval Egypt during the reign of
the Mamluks, where the author revealed the whole variety of mechanisms for the
interaction of the government with market relations in a Muslim state. Al-Maqrizi
touches on many issues. He explains the state levers for setting prices for the
most important consumer goods during the shortage and price increase in the
country, the impact of natural disasters on agricultural production, and characterizes
the monetary policy of the government from the beginning of the existence of
the Muslim state. The author pays attention to the personal qualities of the
ruler and officials, analyzes the psychology of relations between different
categories of the population and reflects on the nature of corruption.
Translation, comments, and research preface
were prepared by E. R. Agayeva and F. M. Asadov, staff members of the Buniyatov
Institute of Oriental Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of
Azerbaijan. This publication was printed early in 2023 by Nauka Publishing House
as a part of the series of publications on the documentary heritage of the East,
commonly known as the "Black Series", with grant funding from IICAS.
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