Tree of Pearls
The Extraordinary Architectural Patronage of the 13th-Century Egyptian Slave-Queen Shajar al-Durr
D. Fairchild Ruggles
Reviews and Awards
Awarded the 2020 Nancy Lapp Popular Book Award by the American Schools of Oriental Research (ASOR)
"By the time I finished reading the chapters on Shajar al-Durr's patronage of two tomb complexes and the concept of Matronage, I had an enriched understanding of the impact of this specific woman's actions, particularly in light of the political, military, religious and cultural world in which she lived (and died)." -- Jere L. Bacharach, University of Washington
"D. Fairchild Ruggles brings a different and refreshing sensibility to bear in this very interesting and rewarding book. Her exceptional scholarship and engaging style bring to life the most vivid character among the powerful women of the medieval Islamic world." -- Stephen Humphreys, University of California, Santa Barbara