In October 1365, Peter I of Lusignan, the king of Cyprus, launched a surprise invasion of Alexandria. In response, Yalbugha undertook major efforts to reconstruct the Mamluk navy. In less than one year and despite the dearth of building material, Yalbugha managed to oversee the production of one hundred warships, each carrying 150 sailors and a number of "mamluks". In November 1366, Yalbugha held a ceremony in the Nile River to demonstrate the size of his navy and regain the legitimacy that was lost in the aftermath of the invasion of Alexandria. However, the vessels were not put into action against Cyprus as ostensibly intended.