A campaign to the land of Nubia in the year 716 AH / 1316 AD, accompanied for the first time by a Muslim Nubian prince to ascend the throne of the country, Prince Saif Allah Abd Allah Barshanbu, who was one of the Nubian princes residing in the Guest Palace in Cairo and who had been raised in the Sultan's court. He had embraced Islam, and his Islam was good, as indicated by Al-Qalqashandi. The Sultan had ordered that this prince accompany the campaign to be crowned king of the country, and the dispatch of Saif Allah Abd Allah in this manner became a customary practice in the Mamluk policy towards Nubia, as these Sultans became the final arbiters in all matters concerning the political affairs of Nubia. This prince was the grandson of King David, but King Kerenbes, who ascended the throne after the murder of King "Issai," had renounced the Sultan and refused to pay the stipulated *baqt* and *jizya*, which angered the Mamluk Sultan, who sent the campaign and David's grandson.

However, Kerenbes refused to recognize this new king and proceeded to send his nephew, "Kanz al-Dawla Nasr," grandson of Bani Kanz, to the Sultan's court, saying: If our lord the Sultan intends to appoint a Muslim king to the country, then this is a Muslim, and he is my nephew, and the kingship will pass to him after me.

But the Sultan refused Kerenbes's request, fearing the increased influence of Bani Kanz and their supporters, and crowned King Saif al-Dawla Abd Allah Barshanbu as the first Muslim king of Christian Nubia in the year 717 AH / 1317 AD. The Mamluk Sultan Al-Nasir Muhammad had ordered the arrest of Kanz al-Dawla and prevented him from returning to the country.

Kerenbes had fled to the King of the Gates when he learned of the Egyptian campaign, but the King of the Gates sent him to the commander of the campaign, who took him with him to Cairo upon the campaign's withdrawal. He arrived in Cairo in the year 717 AH / 1316 AD. This campaign highlighted the changing face of the Christian ruling family, with a Muslim king now occupying the throne of the country, professing his faith.