The ancient history of the world is full of injustice and oppression. Powerful empires were built on the bones of soldiers and slaves. The ancient Greeks and Romans used their slaves for everything from serving at the table to waging wars. But what happens when those same slaves suddenly find a chance to rise to greatness and power? You can learn about this from the history of the Mamluks.
Who were the Mamluks
The word comes from the Arabic language and translated means “one who is owned”, that is, “slave”.
In general, Mamluk soldiers were recruited from slaves who were not of Arab origin and were brought from lands that were under Islamic rule. Residents of the Caucasus, Turkey, Southeast and Eastern Europe, Slavs and Circassians became Mamluks. They were often taken away from their families as children and sold on the slave market. They were then trained in the art of warfare.
Over time, the Mamluks became the backbone of the Islamic world’s military might. Their ethnic diversity also grew: Greeks, Georgians, Armenians, Albanians and Egyptians appeared in their ranks. Such heterogeneity in the composition of the Mamluk army was beneficial in wartime.
Gradually the role of the Mamluks became more significant: they began to occupy important military and administrative posts, participated in historical battles, and sometimes even became sultans. They existed for over 1000 years before fading into oblivion.
Slaves with swords
The origins of the Mamluks date back to the 9th century A.D. Historians believe that this class originated in Islamic society under the Abbasid (Baghdad) Caliphate. However, it is possible that slave-soldiers appeared even earlier, during the time of the Prophet Muhammad.
As the influence of the Mamluks grew steadily over time, they felt their power. This sometimes led to revolts and uprisings against their masters. One of the most notable such incidents during the Islamic Caliphate occurred between 861 and 870.This period has gone down in history as the anarchy in Samarra.
Shortly thereafter, a new revolt of slave-soldiers, known as the Zanj rebellion, broke out. It was also directed against the Abbasid Caliphate. In the history of the Abbasid dynasty, this revolt was one of the most violent events, claiming tens of thousands of lives in a short period of time.
From slaves to sultans
The Iraqi warlord al-Muwaffaq played a significant role in formalizing the Mamluk estate. He restored stability to the caliphate after the Zanj rebellion. He is believed to have increased the reliability of the soldier-slaves and contributed to the growth of their influence.
The use of soldier-slaves as the main military force of the Islamic world had become the rule by the time the Abbasid caliphate collapsed. Meanwhile, the influence of Islam was spreading around the world. Therefore, more and more people of other nationalities joined the Mamluk army. Turks, Copts, Armenians, Circassians, Africans, Slavs and others stood shoulder to shoulder and fought for Islam.
By the end of the Middle Ages, the Mamluks had become an influential military class and were present in all Muslim societies. They achieved their greatest prosperity in Egypt. Here they were able to rise from simple soldier-slaves to powerful knights with political and military authority. Moreover, some Mamluks became emirs, beys and even sultans.
Thus, in 1250 the center of power known as the Mamluk Sultanate was formed. It existed until 1517 and actively participated in the resistance to the Christians during the Crusades. It was the Mamluks who drove the Crusaders out of the Levant in 1302, ending the Crusading era.
Warrior training
Mamluk soldiers learned to wield weapons from childhood. Many were recruited through the Ottoman system of devshirme (“blood tax”). Ottoman authorities forcibly took non-Muslim children from their parents and trained them in the military. Especially often Christians were recruited by devshirma, so a significant part of the soldier-slaves were Slavs.
Military training was called furusia by the Mamluks. They were taught to ride and walk in formation, to manage with a spear, sword, saber, crossbow and especially — bow. The training also included hunting for animals, which combined fun with study.
Mamluk warriors wore chain mail and armor, and wore a turban or a metal helmet on their heads. The uniforms were not uniform, but were more often red or yellow in color. Officers could also wear belts decorated with precious stones. On a campaign, each soldier had one horse at his disposal, as well as a pair of camels to carry his personal belongings.
The sad end of the Mamluks
In 1517. The Mamluk sultanate fell. However, the Mamluks retained their privileged position and became subject to the Turks. The soldiers successfully performed military service until the early 19th century.
During the Napoleonic Wars, the Mamluks became part of the elite Turkish cavalry, and their daring cavalry attacks were widely recognized. However, when Napoleon’s forces reached Egypt, it became clear that the Mamluks’ tactics were outdated — especially against the technologically equipped Europeans, who were also using new types of military formations.
In 1811, the Ottoman Pasha Mohammed Ali lured many noble Mamluk beys to Cairo for a festive dinner and mercilessly killed them. Simultaneously, a massacre began throughout Egypt, killing more than 4,000 people. This brutal event was the end of the Mamluks, who had held influence and power for an entire millennium.