English

Noun

Mameluke ‎(plural Mamelukes)

1. Alternative letter-case form of mameluke

English

Alternative forms

• Mamaluke, mamaluke, mameluk, Mameluke, Mamluk, mamluk, mamluke, mammaluke

Noun

mameluke ‎(plural mamelukes)

1. A member of a military regime created and run originally by freed white slaves, which formed a ruling caste in Egypt from 1250 until 1812 and in Syria until 1516.
   • 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essayes, London: Edward Blount, OCLC 946730821, I.48:

     The Mammalukes boast, that they have the nimblest and readiest horses of any men at armes in the world.

   • 2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin 2003, p.574:

     He first smashed the native Mameluke army at the battle of the Pyramids on 21 July, and secured lower Egypt before leading an expedition in Syria against Turkish forces.

   • 2009, Diarmaid MacCulloch, A History of Christianity, Penguin 2010, p. 278:

     The Mamluks, who seized power in Egypt in 1250, were a caste of men captured for military service, so they drew their identity from their defence of Islam against its enemies.

2. (obsolete) A slave (especially white) in a Muslim country.
   • 1888, Richard F. Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Night 1:

     Having accepted this advice the King forthwith bade prepare handsome gifts, such as horses with saddles of gem encrusted gold; Mamelukes, or white slaves; beautiful handmaids, high breasted virgins, and splendid stuffs and costly.

Translations

French

Adjective

mameluke

1. feminine singular of mameluk