original_query: Who was Tankiz and what was his role in Syria?
query: Who was Tankiz and what was his role in Syria?
answer: Tankiz (died May 1340) was the Damascus-based Turkic viceroy of Syria from 1312 to 1340 during the reign of the Bahri Mamluk sultan an-Nasir Muhammad. He held significant power, controlling governors of sub-provinces and overseeing infrastructural projects and financial matters in Damascus.