noun
- members of a military caste that ruled Egypt and Syria from the 13th to 16th centuries, originally composed of slave soldiers
Usage: historical
Examples
- The Mamelukes controlled Egypt for over two centuries.
- Napoleon’s forces defeated the Mamelukes at the Battle of the Pyramids in 1798.
- The Mameluke sultans built many impressive mosques in Cairo.
- Ottoman forces conquered the Mameluke territories in 1517.
- The Mamelukes were known for their skilled horsemanship and military tactics.
- Many Mamelukes were originally recruited as young slaves from the Caucasus region.