Mamluk
/ˈmæm.lʊk/noun
A member of a military elite originally composed of enslaved soldiers, especially those who ruled Egypt and Syria from 1250 to 1517.
Did you know?Mamluks were initially enslaved military recruits, yet their commanders eventually overthrew the ruling dynasty and established a powerful sultanate.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*m-l-k
“Root associated with kingship, rule, and possession”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
malaka
“To possess, own, or hold authority over”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
mamlūk
“Possessed, owned; literally, one who is owned”
9th–13th Centuries
Arabic
al-Mamālīk
“Military slaves, especially Turkish and Circassian soldiers serving Muslim rulers”
1250–1517
Arabic
Mamlūk
“Member of the ruling military elite that governed Egypt and Syria”
17th Century
English
Mameluke
“A Mamluk, especially a member of the Egyptian military ruling class”
Modern English
English
Mamluk
“A historical member of the Mamluk military caste or sultanate”
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