The Political Impact of Sultan Women in the Mamluk Era (648-923 AH / 1250-1517 AD)

Abstract

This paper highlights a unique political phenomenon that never known in the political history of the Islamic and Arabian state since early times and throughout its successive periods when women had ascended the throne and joined the political arena and high administrative, military offices in the state as well.   

The phenomenon represented a big paradigm shift and a great development in the Islamic Arabic political thought and it also constituted a challenge to the Islamic Arabic legacy, its traditions and customs, also the mainstream culture at that time not to mention the Islamic political theory.

This paper tries to show the role of Sultan's, Princes' and Mamluk's women and when women had ascended the throne and joined the political activities for first time in the political life of Mamluk State for more than two centuries and a half. It is considered as another addition to the studies of the field concerned.