• PugJesus@piefed.socialOPM
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    4 months ago

    Explanation: The Mamluks were a (technically) enslaved caste of soldiers in medieval (and early modern) Egypt. They initially were cavalrymen and horse archers, and made their reputation as a fighting force by these skills.

    The Ottoman Empire, centered around modern-day Turkiye, defeated the Mamluks decisively with some slave soldiers of their own - the Janissaries! But the Janissaries were not only more professionally drilled and trained, with increasingly recognizable ‘professional’ mien to their organizational structure, but brought along an exciting new weapon - firearms!

    They blasted the Mamluks away, and the Ottoman Empire took over Egypt for some 300 years.