Mameluks
Mamelukes, or Mamluks, members of a cavalry corps of Egyptian soldiers. A dynasty of Mameluke soldiers ruled Egypt from 1250 to 1517. Their empire extended into Palestine, Syria, and parts of Arabia. Mamelukes were originally young Turkish and Circassian slaves. (The word means “owned” in Arabic.) They became Egypt's best soldiers and were also administrators. In 1250 they made one of their number sultan. One Mameluke succeeded another until the Ottoman Turks conquered Egypt in 1517. After 1517 the corps remained part of the army and some of its members served as provincial governors. In 1811 the Mamelukes were massacred at the orders of Mohammed Ali, Turkish pasha of Egypt.