The Mamluks were a military class in medieval Egypt, replenished from among young slaves of different nationalities. They were converted to Islam and raised in military camps, taught the science of war. Mamluk and European sources contain a significant amount of information about the political and cultural ties of Circassia with Mamluk Egypt. The Circassian Mamluks sought to preserve their native language and customs, and members of the elite sent their sons to be raised in Circassia. Ibn Tagri Birdi preserved for us the nickname of Sultan Barkuk in the Adyghe language Malihuk, that is, “son of a shepherd.”

The Circassian Mamluks left a deep mark on the history and culture of the countries of the Middle East and Egypt. For hundreds of years they constituted a powerful party in the ruling elite and occupied dominant positions in the Mamluk system. At various times, they had to compete with representatives of those ethnic groups that for a certain period became one of the most important suppliers of military force: Turks and Sudanese (Fatimid period), Kurds (Ayyubid period), Kipchaks (second third of the 13th century), Mongols (Bakhri period ), Greeks (the reign of Faraj and Khushkadam), Bosnians (XVII century), Georgians (second half (XVIII century), Arnauts (rule of Mohammed Ali) and, finally, the Egyptians themselves (rebellion of Arab Pasha). Competitors came and went , and the Circassians remained feudal lords in this country. Thus, the author concludes that the history of the Circassian Mamluks is the history of the Mamluk institution from its inception to the very end.