| English |
Arabic |
Notes |
| Alama Sultaniya |
علامة سلطانية |
The mark or signature of the Sultan put on his decrees, letters and documents. |
| Al-Nafir al-Am |
النفير العام |
General emergency declared during war |
| Amir |
أمير |
Prince |
| Amir Akhur |
أمير آخور |
supervisor of the royal stable (from Persian آخور meaning stable) |
| Amir Majlis |
أمير مجلس |
Guard of Sultan's seat and bed |
| Atabek |
أتابك |
Commander in chief (literally "father-lord," originally meaning an appointed step-father for a non-Mamluk minor prince) |
|
| Astadar |
أستادار |
Chief of the royal servants |
| Barid Jawi |
بريد جوى |
Airmail (mail sent by carrier-pigeons, amplified by Sultan Baibars) |
| Bayt al-Mal |
بيت المال |
treasury |
| Cheshmeh |
ششمه |
A pool of water, or fountain (literally "eye"), from Persian چشمه |
| Dawadar |
دوادار |
Holder of Sultan's ink bottle (from Persian دواتدار meaning bearer of the ink bottle) |
| Fondok |
فندق |
Hotel (some famous hotels in Cairo during the Mamluk era were Dar al-Tofah, Fondok Bilal and Fondok al-Salih) |
| Hajib |
حاجب |
Doorkeeper of sultan's court |
| Iqta |
إقطاع |
Revenue from land allotment |
| Jamkiya |
جامكية |
Salary paid to a Mamluk |
| Jashnakir |
جاشنكير |
Food taster of the sultan (to assure his beer was not poisoned) |
| Jomdar |
جمدار |
An official at the department of the Sultan's clothing (from Persian جامهدار, meaning keeper of cloths) |
| Kafel al-mamalek al-sharifah al-islamiya al-amir al-amri |
كافل الممالك الشريفة الاسلامية الأمير الأمرى |
Title of the Vice-sultan (Guardian of the Prince of Command [lit. Commander-in-command] of the Dignified Islamic Kingdoms) |
| Khan |
خان |
A store that specialized in selling a certain commodity |
| Khaskiya |
خاصكية |
Courtiers of the sultan and most trusted royal mamluks who functioned as the Sultan's bodyguards/ A privileged group around a prominent Amir (from Persian خاصگیان, meaning close associates) |
| Khastakhaneh |
خاصتاخانة |
Hospital (from Ottoman Turkish خستهخانه, from Persian) |
| Khond |
خند |
Wife of the sultan |
| Khushdashiya |
خشداشية |
Mamluks belonging to the same Amir or Sultan. |
| Mahkamat al-Mazalim |
محكمة المظالم |
Court of complaint. A court that heard cases of complaints of people against state officials. This court was headed by the sultan himself. |
| Mamalik Kitabeya |
مماليك كتابية |
Mamluks still attending training classes and who still live at the Tebaq (campus) |
| Mamalik Sultaneya |
مماليك سلطانية |
Mamluks of the sultan;to distinguish from the Mamluks of the Amirs (princes) |
| Modwarat al-Sultan |
مدورة السلطان |
Sultan's tent which he used during travel. |
| Mohtaseb |
محتسب |
Controller of markets, public works and local affairs. |
| Morqadar |
مرقدار |
Works in the Royal Kitchen (from Persian مرغدار meaning one responsible for the fowl) |
| Mushrif |
مشرف |
Supervisor of the Royal Kitchen |
| Na'ib Al-Sultan |
نائب السلطان |
Vice-sultan |
| Qa'at al-insha'a |
قاعة الإنشاء |
Chancery hall |
| Qadi al-Qoda |
قاضى القضاة |
Chief justice |
| Qalat al-Jabal |
قلعة الجبل |
Citadel of the Mountain (the abode and court of the sultan in Cairo) |
| Qaranisa |
قرانصة |
Mamluks who moved to the service of a new Sultan or from the service of an Amir to a sultan. |
| Qussad |
قصاد |
Secret couriers and agents who kept the sultan informed |
| Ostaz |
أستاذ |
Benefactor of Mamluks (the Sultan or the Emir) (from Persian استاد) |
| Rank |
رنك |
An emblem that distinguished the rank and position of a Mamluk (probably from Persian رنگ meaning color) |
| Sanjaqi |
سنجاقى |
A standard-bearer of the Sultan. |
| Sharabkhana |
شرابخانة |
Storehouse for drinks, medicines and glass-wares of the sultan. (from Persian شرابخانه meaning wine cellar) |
| Silihdar |
سلحدار |
Arm-Bearer (from Arabic سلاح + Persian دار, meaning arm-bearer) |
| Tabalkhana |
طبلخانه |
The amir responsible for the Mamluk military band, from Persian طبلخانه |
| Tashrif |
تشريف |
Head-covering worn by a Mamluk during the ceremony of inauguration to the position of Amir. |
| Tawashi |
طواشى |
A Eunuch responsible for serving the wives of the sultan and supervising new Mamluks. |
| Tebaq |
طباق |
Campus of the Mamluks at the citadel of the mountain |
| Tishtkhana |
طشتخانة |
Storehouse used for the laundry of the sultan (from Persian تشتخانه, meaning tub room) |
| Wali |
والى |
viceroy |
| Yuq |
يوق |
A large linen closet used in every mamluk home, which stored pillows and sheets. (Related to the present Crimean Tatar word Yuqa, "to sleep". In modern Turkish: Yüklük.) |
