This September marks the 500-year anniversary of the death of a singular, but forgotten, historical figure — Selim I, the ninth sultan of the Ottoman Empire. In 1517, Selim and his army marched from Istanbul to Cairo, vanquishing his foremost rival in the Muslim world, the Mamluk Empire. His religious authority in the Muslim world was now unrivaled. Individually — or even together — they were no match for the gargantuan Muslim empire. Economically, the Ottoman Empire was a powerhouse through its sheer size and the shrewd leadership Selim displayed in controlling such a vast geographic area.

Source: The North Africa Journal August 20, 2020 10:02 UTC