THE EFFECTS OF SULTANATE REGENTS ON POWER IN THE MAMLUKS (1250-1341)
MEMLÛKLERDE SALTANAT NAİPLERİNİN İKTİDAR ÜZERİNE ETKİLERİ (1250-1341)

Author : Nihal GEZEN
Number of pages : 263-289

Abstract

The foundations on the Mamluk Dynasty which ruled over Egypt and Syria in the period of 1250-1517 were laid upon the Mamluk/Ghulam system. In this Turkic state whose ruling class was different to the local people, passing down the sultanate by succession was not adopted. Among the Mamluks, not being a member of a certain ancestry did not pose an obstacle to the legitimacy of power. In this state, being powerful, influential and having a large number of Mamluks could bring a monarch to the position of sultanate. In such a case, a person who had a high power of struggle and could account for the balances was able to obtain the position of sultanate. However, as this situation provided every monarch with the same opportunity, new, powerful opponents constantly emerged, and the conflicts and competition for power always continued. In the Mamluk State, the position of sultanate regents had the appearance of almost a second Sultan, and within the period of its existence, this position was the second highest one following the sultanate. Among the Mamluks, sultanate regents were powerful monarchs with the broad authority provided to them by their positions. With these broad authorities and power that they had, sultanate regents could be directly influential on the political power due to the understanding of dominance in the state. With this study, we will discuss how sultanate regents could be influential on political power.

Keywords

Mamluk State, Sultanate Regent, Political Power

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