Representations of the Mamluks in Historical Novels and Plays

Abstract

Although there are diverse representations of the Mamluks, some common patterns can be observed. The Baḥri Mamluks, such as Baybars, Quṭuz, and Shajarat al-Durr, are blended with Egyptian nationalist heroes in a positive manner. By contrast, the Circassian Mamluk era is stereotyped as the zenith of Mamluk tyranny and oppression due to the continuous power struggles of the ruling classes. This turbulent part of Mamluk history is allegorically employed to criticize Egypt’s contemporary social political reality. Similarly, the Mamluks under Ottoman rule are not only treated as the perpetrators of social and political stagnation in Egyptian society, but are also presented as the antithesis of Muḥammad ‘Alī, opposing his reforms in government.