The Mamluks in Egyptian Politics and Society

Description

For more than half a millennium the Mamluks - military slaves emanating from the steppes of southern Russia and later from the Caucasus and the Balkans - wielded power over Egypt. During this time they formed a remarkable political, military and economic elite, ruling as sovereigns from 1250 to 1517 and, after the Ottoman conquest of Egypt, regaining much of their former paramountcy under Turkish supremacy. In this collection of essays, Ulrich Haarman and Thomas Philipp have brought together the research of some of the most distinguished scholars in the field to provide an accessible and coherent introduction to the structure of political power under the Mamluks and its economic foundations. The essays also offer a unique insight into the Mamluk households and their relationship with the indigenous Egyptian population.

"This volume offers a valuable assessment of current scholarship." Warren C. Schultz, Religious Studies Review "Both Richards and Hearmann debate rather eloquently..." Leonor Fernandes, MESA Bulletin "...this book will doubtlessly appeal to Mamluk specialists." Christopher S. Taylor, Journal of the American Oriental Society "Scholars of the Mamluk and Ottoman periods in Egypt will certainly want to become familiar with this volume, and specialists in other fields are likely to find papers of interest to them. For historians of the sultanate in particular, this volume will serve as a means to map the contours of a rapidly expanding field of study." International Hournal of Middle East Studies "Raymond's article showcase sopisticated technical analysis of residential patterns in Cairo...The collection is a superb glance back at the traditional social analysis that has brought the field of Mamluk Studies to the forefront of Islamic history" Mamluk Studies Review