1516–1517 CEReputable sourceWell documented
Selim I, the Mamluks, and the Caliphate
On the timeline · around 1516–1517 CE ·
What happened
Sultan Selim I doubled the empire's size, crushing the Mamluk Sultanate to seize Egypt, Syria and the Hejaz in 1516–17. With the holy cities of Mecca and Medina now under Ottoman rule, the sultans claimed the title of caliph — leader of the Muslim world.
Why it matters
Selim's conquests made the Ottomans the dominant power in the Islamic world, a claim to the caliphate they held until the empire's end.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. Selim I · Reputable source