Defend with steel

The Mamluks were a military caste that originated in the Muslim world. The word “Mamluk” literally means “owned,” and initially, it referred to slave soldiers who were converted to Islam and trained as professional soldiers. Over time, these slave soldiers gained significant power, particularly in Egypt and Syria, from the 13th to the 16th centuries.

The Mamluk Sultanate was established in Egypt in 1250, after the Mamluks overthrew the Ayyubid dynasty. They are perhaps best known for defeating the Mongols at the Battle of Ain Jalut in 1260, halting Mongol expansion into the Mediterranean world. This victory was pivotal, as it marked the first substantial defeat of the Mongols and helped to preserve the Islamic Middle East.

The Mamluks were unique in that they were slaves who managed to rise to power, ruling as a military aristocracy. They established a system whereby new slaves were continuously brought in, converted, trained, and eventually could rise through the military ranks to high positions in the state, including that of the sultan. The Mamluk system allowed for a degree of social mobility within a rigidly structured hierarchy.

The Mamluks were eventually overthrown by the Ottoman Empire in 1517, but they continued to serve as a military force in Egypt well into the Ottoman period. Their legacy is complex, characterized by both their military prowess and the distinctive art and architecture they sponsored, which contributed to the Islamic Golden Age.