The Ottoman period in Egypt began in 1517 when the Ottoman Empire defeated the Mamluks and absorbed Egypt into its empire. Egypt became one of the Ottomans’ most important provinces because of its wealth, agricultural output, and control over trade routes connecting the Mediterranean, Red Sea, Africa, and the Islamic holy cities. Although Egypt was officially ruled by an Ottoman governor sent from Istanbul, real power often remained in the hands of local elites, especially the former Mamluk mili