History glossary
Mamluks
a military elite and sultanate that ruled Egypt and Syria and ended the main crusader presence in the Levant.
- Category
- Dynasty
- Region
- Egypt and Syria
- Date range
- 1250-1517
What it means
The Mamluks were a military elite who established a sultanate in Egypt and Syria in the thirteenth century. After replacing the Ayyubid dynasty, they became the dominant Muslim power facing the remaining crusader settlements. Their capture of Acre in 1291 ended the main Latin Christian foothold on the mainland Levant.
Related terms
Stories using this term
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