The Mamluks

Description

The sources offer an extensive examination of the Mamluk Sultanate, a unique Islamic empire that existed from 1250 to 1517, founded and ruled by a class of enslaved soldiers. They explore the paradoxical origins of the Mamluks, highlighting their rigorous training in *furusiyya* and their rise to power following the Battle of Ain Jalut against the Mongols and the expulsion of the Crusaders. The texts further discuss the two main Mamluk dynasties—the Turkic Bahri and the Circassian Burji—and their distinct characteristics, including the Bahri period's stability and the Burji era's political instability and economic decline due to the Black Death and shifting trade routes. Finally, the sources detail the Mamluk state's unique non-hereditary political structure, its powerful military, thriving economy based on the spice trade, magnificent cultural achievements in art and architecture, and ultimate fall to the Ottoman Empire due to a failure to adopt gunpowder technology.

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Created on: August 29, 2025