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The forgotten queen of Egypt - Abdallah Ewis

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TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

The year is 1249 CE. King Louis IX is sailing the Nile, threatening to overthrow the sultan and capture Egypt. Egypt’s commanders ask the sultan’s wife, Shajar Al-Durr, to report this news to the injured sultan. But they don’t know the truth: the sultan is dead, and she is secretly ruling in his stead. Who was this impressive woman? Abdallah Ewis details the reign of the Sultana of Egypt.

Why did Shajar Al-Durr keep the death of Sultan As-Salih Ayub a secret?

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Meet The Creators

  • Educator Abdallah Ewis
  • Director Elahe Baloochi
  • Narrator Safia Elhillo
  • Storyboard Artist Mohamad Reza Behnamian
  • Animator Meysam Gaderi
  • Compositor Morteza Parsadan, Mojtaba Vesali
  • Art Director Mohamad Reza Behnamian, Farid Mahmoodi
  • Illustrator Akram Esmaili
  • Paint Illustrator Elahe Baloochi
  • Layout Illustrator Yasaman Zare , Kiana Labbaf
  • Composer Stephen LaRosa
  • Sound Designer Stephen LaRosa
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Editorial Producer Elizabeth Cox
  • Production Coordinator Abdallah Ewis
  • Script Editor Soraya Field Fiorio
  • Fact-Checker Eden Girma