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The shining stars in the kings of Egypt and Cairo by Ibn Tagri Birdi

النجوم الزاهرة في ملوك مصر والقاهرة by بردي يبن

Aliases
Aliases Arabic
Jamal al-Din Yusuf bin al-Amir Sayf al-Din Taghribirdi جمال الدين يوسف بن الأمير سيف الدين تغري بردي (?)
Abū al-Maḥāsin Yūsuf ibn Taghrī-Birdī ابو الءماحاسين يوسوف يبن تاعهريءبيردي (?)
Abū l'-Maḥāsin Djamal al_Din Yūsuf ibn TaghrīBirdī ابو الءماحاسين يوسوف يبن تاعهريءبيردي (?)
Background and Biography
Background and Biography

Events
August to September 1157 CE Hama and Shaizar Quake(s)

Excerpts

English from Ambraseys (2009)

In 552 [August 1157, according to Ibn al-Athir] violent earthquakes took place in Damascus, Aleppo, Hamah, Shaizar, and in the most part of Syria and the Orient. The number of victims was considerable: it is said, for example, that at Hamah a primary teacher, who had gone out of his school to attend to a personal need, found on his return that the building had collapsed on the children, who were all wiped out; the most astonishing thing is that none of their parents, many of them that there were, came to claim them – they had all perished and were buried under the ruins of their houses. The towers of the fortress of Aleppo and of other towns collapsed. Of the population of Shaizar, only one woman and a eunuch escaped death. The fortress of Apamea collapsed [into the lake] and the hill of Harran was split in two, old houses and buildings becoming visible. At Laodicea a crack appeared, revealing an idol standing in the water. Sidon, Beirut, Tripoli, Acre, Tyre and all the Frankish strongholds were ruined, and the poets of the time composed numerous verses on this catastrophe.

In this year al-Malek al-A’del Nur ad-Din Mahmud ibn Zengui made himself master of the locality of Shaizar, and the domination of the Benu Muqidhs was ended, having lasted for long years. (Ibn Tagh. Bir. 508–509).

Chronology
Date Reference Corrections Notes
13 Feb. 1157 CE - 1 Feb. 1158 CE A.H. 552 none calculated using CHRONOS
Seismic Effects
  • violent earthquakes took place in Damascus, Aleppo, Hamah, Shaizar, and in the most part of Syria and the Orient
  • The number of victims was considerable
  • school building collapse in Hama killing all students
  • The parents died too - due to house collapses
  • The towers of the fortress of Aleppo and of other towns collapsed
  • Of the population of Shaizar, only one woman and a eunuch escaped death
  • The fortress of Apamea collapsed [into the lake]
  • the hill of Harran was split in two, old houses and buildings becoming visible
  • At Laodicea a crack appeared, revealing an idol standing in the water
  • Sidon, Beirut, Tripoli, Acre, Tyre and all the Frankish strongholds were ruined
Locations

Sources
Sources

Online Versions and Further Reading
References

Notes
Aliases of Ibn Tagri Birdi