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Quiz about Historic Realms The Mamluk Sultanate
Quiz about Historic Realms The Mamluk Sultanate

Historic Realms: The Mamluk Sultanate Quiz


A little rusty on your history? Come learn a little about the world's historic realms in this photo quiz series. Here we will talk about the Mamluk Sultanate. (If you would like to have a better view of the images/maps, please click on them to enlarge!)

A photo quiz by trident. Estimated time: 6 mins.
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Author
trident
Time
6 mins
Type
Photo Quiz
Quiz #
369,856
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
8 / 10
Plays
509
Awards
Top 5% quiz!
-
Question 1 of 10
1. This is a representation of the flag of the Mamluk Sultanate as described by the "Catalan Atlas". The flag uses the same golden color as the Ayyubid dynasty who ruled over large parts of Egypt and the Levant immediately before the Mamluks. The Mamluk flag also carries the crescent; what religion would this suggest the Sultanate followed? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Pictured here is a typical Mamluk. They were technically slaves imported from Central Asia to serve as soldiers and administrators. This system allowed the infighting factions of Egypt to maintain professional hired armies that had no local loyalties. Because of their status, what does the word "Mamluk" mean? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. The foreigner slaves were able to establish their own sultanate through intrigue, murder, and military power under the Mamluk Ayberg. But this was only after King Louis IX of what country destabilized the Ayyubids by partaking in his own personal nation's crusade of the Holy Lands in 1249? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Here are the Mamluk Sultanate's lands in the thirteenth century. They were the protector of the holy cities of Mecca and Medina from invaders and the guardian of pilgrims. These cities were located in what region (colored in red) which counted the Mamluks as their suzerain? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. In this painting by January Suchodolski, you can see an image of a Mamluk training. The Mamluks were widely considered competent and trusted leaders. Much like a code of chivalry, they lived by their own code known as "Furusiyya", made up by three different words meaning the "science, art, and literature" of what important Mamluk arena? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. This 14th-century illustration depicts Mamluk cavalry and Mongol mounted archers. The Mamluks had been skirmishing with the Ilkhanate, a word meaning "subordinate khanate", ruled by Hulagu Khan. Baibars, a Mamluk military commander, met the Ilkhanate's forces at the Battle of Ain Jalut in southeastern Galilee. What is significant about this battle? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Mamluk general Baibars was a strong, authoritative leader who defeated both European Crusaders as well as Mongol mounted archers on the battlefield. He became sultan after the death of the previous sultan, Qutuz, who Baibars was said to have helped murder. Baibars also has another legacy: he took control of an order of Nizari Ismailis known as the "Hashashin" and began a campaign of the murder of his enemies. In this 14th-century painting, you can see the Hashashin murdering Nizam al-Mulk. What word finds its etymology traced back to these killers? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Mamluk architecture and art followed the traditions of the Bahri Mamluks, and though the Burji Mamluks took power in 1382, they continued to build and craft in the Bahri style. Mamluk sultans preferred to build many smaller mosques and religious buildings as opposed to large projects. Here we see the Mosque of Sultan Hassan (an unimportant sultan) which was built in what Mamluk capital city? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. The Mamluk Sultanate held its own for nearly three hundred years, but there were several factors that led to its decline: the bubonic plague, scattered invasions from the Middle East, Portugal's intrusion into Eastern trade routes. However, it was their lack of military technology that led to their ultimate demise. Shown in the image, Sultan Selim I of what empire gained control of all of their lands after only two major battles? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. The Mamluks were still an authority within Egypt for many centuries, even though they were occupied and ruled by foreign nations. In 1798, the forces of Napoleon invaded Egypt and were trying to defeat the local Mamluk rulers. This painting by Francois-Louis-Joseph Watteau depicts which battle, which Napoleon was said to have named himself? Hint



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Oct 12 2024 : Guest 197: 10/10
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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. This is a representation of the flag of the Mamluk Sultanate as described by the "Catalan Atlas". The flag uses the same golden color as the Ayyubid dynasty who ruled over large parts of Egypt and the Levant immediately before the Mamluks. The Mamluk flag also carries the crescent; what religion would this suggest the Sultanate followed?

Answer: Islam

The Ayyubid dynasty was a strong force for Islam in Egypt, the Levant and North Africa. Their most famous leader was likely Saladin, who continuously repelled Crusaders from his lands. The Ayyubid flag was a simple rectangle of gold. Since the Mamluk Sultanate found its roots in the Kurdish Ayyubids, it was not surprising that they had adopted a similar-colored flag.
2. Pictured here is a typical Mamluk. They were technically slaves imported from Central Asia to serve as soldiers and administrators. This system allowed the infighting factions of Egypt to maintain professional hired armies that had no local loyalties. Because of their status, what does the word "Mamluk" mean?

Answer: owned

The Mamluks were not local to Egypt, but people of the steppe brought in to serve the many lords who needed a neutral type of loyalty in their fighting forces. Oddly enough, Mamluks had a certain elevated social status, treated much better than ordinary Egyptian slaves and better even than the regular populace.

Mamluks proved utterly capable in battle and administration, and were trusted to hold leadership positions. It was this trust in their power (which came with limits such as a ban on familial inheritance) that led to the downfall of the dynasties and allowed the Mamluk Sultanate to begin.
3. The foreigner slaves were able to establish their own sultanate through intrigue, murder, and military power under the Mamluk Ayberg. But this was only after King Louis IX of what country destabilized the Ayyubids by partaking in his own personal nation's crusade of the Holy Lands in 1249?

Answer: France

The ancient kings of France, especially under the House of Capet, used an emblem with many fleurs-de-lis. Louis IX (the only canonized king of France) decided that he wanted to be a Crusader, even leading his armies to the Holy Lands. Instead of invading near the Holy Cities, he decided to go straight for Egypt and hope to knock out the leadership.

Instead he simply destabilized an increasingly weak monarchy and lost decisively to the competent Mamluk military commanders. Soon after, power was transferred to the Mamluks through the murder of the sultan and the foreigner slaves would become the rulers.
4. Here are the Mamluk Sultanate's lands in the thirteenth century. They were the protector of the holy cities of Mecca and Medina from invaders and the guardian of pilgrims. These cities were located in what region (colored in red) which counted the Mamluks as their suzerain?

Answer: Hejaz

A suzerain is generally a protector who has some influence on a region or nation, but the region is autonomous internally. Hejaz is the region which contains Mecca and Medina, and so empires that have controlled this area must contend with the fact that many pilgrims will visit these holy cities. Protecting the pilgrims was seen as a very important duty in the Muslim world.

The area today is within the borders of Saudi Arabia, and is easily the most populous part of the country.
5. In this painting by January Suchodolski, you can see an image of a Mamluk training. The Mamluks were widely considered competent and trusted leaders. Much like a code of chivalry, they lived by their own code known as "Furusiyya", made up by three different words meaning the "science, art, and literature" of what important Mamluk arena?

Answer: cavalry skills

Like the knights of Christendom and the great Mongol warriors, the Mamluks prided themselves on their cavalry skills. They took a comprehensive approach to their cavalry, believing that their skill relied on ideas such as proper care for their horses, the study of cavalry tactics, riding techniques, continued practice with tourneys, and mounted archery. Many historians believe that the Mamluks' skill in horseback warfare was superior to even the Mongols.

The code addressed topics such as courage, valor, and generosity, as well as battlefield medicine. Today, Furusiyya is even considered a synonym to equestrianism.
6. This 14th-century illustration depicts Mamluk cavalry and Mongol mounted archers. The Mamluks had been skirmishing with the Ilkhanate, a word meaning "subordinate khanate", ruled by Hulagu Khan. Baibars, a Mamluk military commander, met the Ilkhanate's forces at the Battle of Ain Jalut in southeastern Galilee. What is significant about this battle?

Answer: It was the first time the Mongols were defeated and unable to avenge their loss.

The Mongols lost due to several factors: the Mamluk general Baibars was familiar with the land, the Mongols were pushed into an ambush, and the Mamluk cavalry was equally skilled in mounted archery and close combat on horseback while the Mongols relied too heavily on their archery skills. It was also said that since Mamluks were people of the steppe, they understood Mongol tactics better than other lords in Persia who had easily fallen.

Christian communities actually openly fought against Muslim sultanates, and the Mamluks were terrified of a Christian/Mongol alliance. The defeat of Hulagu Khan (brother of the Great Khan Kublai) helped pacify these Christian cities.

The Mongols would never resort to combat other than with their horseback archers. It was their biggest strength, after all!
7. Mamluk general Baibars was a strong, authoritative leader who defeated both European Crusaders as well as Mongol mounted archers on the battlefield. He became sultan after the death of the previous sultan, Qutuz, who Baibars was said to have helped murder. Baibars also has another legacy: he took control of an order of Nizari Ismailis known as the "Hashashin" and began a campaign of the murder of his enemies. In this 14th-century painting, you can see the Hashashin murdering Nizam al-Mulk. What word finds its etymology traced back to these killers?

Answer: assassin

The Hashashin were so called not because Europeans believed they were hashish-smoking killers, but because another group of Ismailis named them as social inferiors. The Hashashin were considered so dangerous that the Mongols sent a force ahead of their armies to slaughter all the Hashashin so that they couldn't interfere with their advancement.

Baibars saw the pratical use of the Hashashin and began to systematically murder his political opponents. It was very common for Mamluk sultans to die by assassination, and it was actually rare for them to die of natural causes. In fact, the average rule for a Mamluk sultan was only seven years.

One rumor of Baibars' death was that he drank from a poisoned cup meant to be for one of his political enemies. It was a dangerous game to play sultan.
8. Mamluk architecture and art followed the traditions of the Bahri Mamluks, and though the Burji Mamluks took power in 1382, they continued to build and craft in the Bahri style. Mamluk sultans preferred to build many smaller mosques and religious buildings as opposed to large projects. Here we see the Mosque of Sultan Hassan (an unimportant sultan) which was built in what Mamluk capital city?

Answer: Cairo

The Mamluks built many mosques within their territory; they had become the protectors of Islam, and so the sultans believed they had to patronize as many projects as they could. Mamluk architecture is found throughout Cairo as this is where the sultans focused the brunt of their construction efforts.
9. The Mamluk Sultanate held its own for nearly three hundred years, but there were several factors that led to its decline: the bubonic plague, scattered invasions from the Middle East, Portugal's intrusion into Eastern trade routes. However, it was their lack of military technology that led to their ultimate demise. Shown in the image, Sultan Selim I of what empire gained control of all of their lands after only two major battles?

Answer: Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire had recently pushed the Byzantines out of Constantinople, moving their capital there and concentrating their power. The Mamluks had generally supported the Ottoman efforts and even relied on them for protection from European colonists and merchants attempting to stifle their trade routes.

However, sensing weakness, Sultan Selim I invaded the Mamluk lands and defeated them easily. The Mamluks rushed to war with arrows and lances, while the Ottomans brought artillery and firearms. It was hardly a contest. The Mamluks became a vassal with Mamluk viceroys ruling under the authority of the Ottomans.
10. The Mamluks were still an authority within Egypt for many centuries, even though they were occupied and ruled by foreign nations. In 1798, the forces of Napoleon invaded Egypt and were trying to defeat the local Mamluk rulers. This painting by Francois-Louis-Joseph Watteau depicts which battle, which Napoleon was said to have named himself?

Answer: The Battle of the Pyramids

Though the Pyramids certainly weren't this close during the battle, Napoleon was said to have seen them on the horizon. The victory was decisive for the French, but later they were defeated at the Nile by the British. Napoleon wasn't able to successfully establish a base in the Middle East.

About a decade later, in 1811, an Ottoman commander invited a large group of Mamluk rulers to a celebration, but it was a ruse. He murdered all of the leaders in order to definitely end Mamluk domination in Egypt in an event known as the Massacre of the Citadel. Mamluk rule in Egypt was no more.
Source: Author trident

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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