According to the fifteenth century chronicler Ibn Taghribirdi, Azjur/Arkhuz was born in Baghdad to Ulugh Tarkhan, a Turk of likely high status, as evidenced by the use of the title tarkhan. Azjur himself eventually became one of the senior amirs of the Abbasid state,[1] and in 867 he was appointed as chief of security (shurtah) of Egypt by the governor Muzahim ibn Khaqan.[2]