Mameluke

Member of a powerful political class that dominated Egypt from the 13th century until their massacre in 1811 by Mehmet Ali.

The Mamelukes were originally descended from freed Turkish slaves. They formed the royal bodyguard in the 13th century, and in 1250 placed one of their own number, Qutuz, on the throne. Mameluke sultans ruled Egypt and built a Levantine empire until they were conquered by the Ottomans in 1517.