The Ottoman Conquest of Mamluk Egypt 1516-1517

In 1516, the Ottoman Sultan Selim I turned his armies south, not east, and took on the Mamluk Sultanate—the dominant power of the Islamic world for over two centuries. This episode follows the dramatic campaign that ended Mamluk rule in Syria and Egypt, from the Battle of Marj Dabiq near Aleppo to the final stand at Raydaniyya outside Cairo. We explore the Mamluk military machine—its mounted archers and Circassian slave-soldiers—and why it crumbled against Ottoman artillery and tactical reforms. We also discuss the political fallout: the capture of the Caliph al-Mutawakkil III, the transfer of the caliphate to the Ottoman line, and the opening of the spice and silk routes to Ottoman control. Plus, we touch on the strange story of the last Abbasid caliph in Cairo and how Selim used him to legitimise Ottoman rule. This is a pivotal moment that reshaped the Middle East for centuries, yet it's often overshadowed by the conquest of Constantinople. Join Lucas and Luna for a deep dive into a campaign that historians call the end of the medieval Islamic world. #OttomanEmpire #MamlukSultanate #SelimI #BattleOfMarjDabiq #BattleOfRaydaniyya #Cairo #Aleppo #Caliphate #AlMutawakkilIII #Circassian #Janissary #Artillery #SpiceRoute #MedievalIslam #16thCentury #History #FexingoHistory #MiddleEast #SuleimanTheMagnificent #MehmedTheConqueror Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo