Description
In Arabic, the word Mamluk means slave, and the founders of this dynasty were originally slave soldiers, of mostly Turkic origin in the service of the Ayyubid Caliphate. However, the Mamluks were more than just well-trained slave soldiers and came to represent a knightly class with ever increasing power. The dynasty was founded in 1250 CE, on the death of the Ayyubid sultan, as-Salih Ayyub, the Mamluks his son and heir al-Muazzam Turanshah, and Shajar al-Durr the widow of as-Salih became the Sultana of Egypt. She married the Mamluk Atabeg (commander in chief) Emir Aybak and abdicated, Aybak becoming Sultan.
