Tree of Pearls

Reviewed by: Hanan Basher, Markfield, UK 

Published by: Austin Macauley Publishers, London, 2022, 232pp. ISBN: 9781398442191.

In Tree of Pearls, Victoria El Henawy takes the reader through a gripping rendition of the central character, Shajarah’s life, who rose from a slave girl to become an Egyptian queen. The book comprises 51 chapters. In the first chapter the reader is introduced to a young Shajarah and her spirited nature, living with her parents in their master’s house in Konya (in central Turkey). Her merchant master gifts her to the Abbasid Caliph al-Mustansir in Baghdad to gain his favour. When the caliph realises her intelligence, he orders that she is educated. With the change in the political situation in Egypt, which was then under the rule of the Ayyubids, al-Mustansir decides to gift Shajarah to the next potential Ayyubid ruler, al-Malik al-Salih, who at that time was in Damascus. Shajarah falls in love with al-Malik al-Salih and they marry. She is by his side when he enters Egypt victorious; however, her joy is shattered soon after following the death of their son Khalil in infancy. Shajarah focuses her energy on supporting her husband in looking after the affairs of Egypt and plays a pivotal role in their victory over the Crusaders who attacked Egypt. After the death of her husband followed by the death of his son from a previous wife, she is chosen as the Queen of Egypt.

El Henawy is an archaeologist, however she writes not as an academic but as a novelist, which arguably is a more captivating way of teaching and learning about history. There are other renditions available of this story which offer differing accounts to El Henawy’s, although it is not possible to comment on the historicity of the narrative under discussion here. However, El Henawy being a specialist in 12th-15th century Egypt lends authority to the topic at hand. In her writing, the author subtlety includes Islamic principles and practices such as the rights Islam grants women and supplications and verses of the Qur’an quoted as part of Shajarah’s prayers. Additionally, her use of Arabic terms, with a brief explanation or translation, is intentional and serves the storyline. The numerous characters are presented with sufficient detail to appreciate their position and role in the narrative. As with any engaging narrative, the book includes its fair share of villains such as al-Nasir (al-Salih’s cousin) who approaches his cousin under the guise of supporting him while having his eye on ruling Egypt himself, but also relays stories of friendships, families and the wholesome love between Shajarah and al-Malik al-Salih.