The Mamluks 1250-1517

By David Nicolle and David Nicolle:

In Europe the Mamluks of Egypt are remembered as so-called 'Slave Kings' who drove out the Crusaders from the Holy Land; but they were far more than that. Though its frontiers barely changed, the Mamluk Sultanate remained a 'great power' for two and a half centuries. Its armies were the culmination of a military tradition stretching back to the 8th century, and provided a model for the early Ottoman Empire, whose own armies reached the gates of Vienna only twelve years after the Mamluks were overthrown. This absorbing text by David Nicolle explores the organisation and tactics of these fascinating people.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1855323141
• ISBN13: 9781855323148
• Release Date: July 1993
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (UK)
• Length: 48 Pages
• Weight: 0.44 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 7.2" x 9.8"

Customer Reviews

I love this subjects

These books of the Osprey Series I find them quite informative, and that's good for me to polish my abilities, cause I like to draw exactly this kind of subjects. They present seriously researched reconstructions of the warriors of the period, all based in as much physical evidence (archeological & historical would be better to say) as possible, and as rigorously treated as possible, too. The only pitfall I find in this series is that once you have bought several books dealing around a common subject you will see quite a lot of repeating of the same information: same photographs, same reconstructions, etc. Anyway, as far as my web searches have indicated me, this is THE reference when historical reconstructions of warriors of the past is what you ar looking for. I hope I will polish my abilities as much as needed to be an illustrator of one of this books someday. And now, specifically dealing with the mamluks, I regret I have to say goodbye to my beloved curved scimitar, because it is simply not sufficiently sustained by evidences. Weird for me to be forced to draw the arabs with straight swords! But the truth is the truth.Armies of the Muslim Conquest (Men-at-Arms)

Usual Nicolle/McBride

The experienced Osprey reader should already know the jist of this book just by the names of the author and the artist. For anyone else, this title combines dry, raw history from a very anti-Western perspective with eight spirited colored plates. The Mamluks were a continuation of medieval Islamic civilization, holding together the conquests of their forebearers by several centuries of constant warfare, which finally ended with a defeat by the Ottomans at Cairo in 1517.

Good Information

This is one book which has good information on the Mamluks and thier resulting actions and training. For a Historian like me this is very valuable since my studies are in a field which is very small and does not have that much information. A 5/5 for me.

The Mamluks

Perhaps because of the narrower scope of this title compared to others in the Osprey series, Dr. Nicolle went into greater depth in writing this title. A good overview of the Mamluk state.The Mamluks were slaves taken from pagan populations and trained to be soldiers for Muslim leaders. They ended up overthrowing their ruler in Egypt and establishing their own state there. Mamluks would square off against the Christian crusaders in Syria as well as the Mongols. Minuses: poor maps and the stereotyping mentioned by the other reviewer. Pluses: Artwork and bibliography. One day Osprey will learn to devote at least one or two pages to decent maps!