Who where the mamelukes?

The Mamelukes were a military class that ruled Egypt and the Levant from the 13th to the 16th centuries. Originally enslaved soldiers of Turkic and Circassian origin, they gained power by overthrowing their masters and established a sultanate in Egypt. Known for their military prowess, they played a crucial role in repelling the Mongol invasions and the Crusades. The Mameluke Sultanate eventually fell to the Ottoman Empire in the early 16th century.