My history professor and I are having a disagreement over the answer to this question.
Basically, the question we had on our test was
The Mamlúks were a. Egyptians b. Chinese c. Italians d. none of them
I chose none of them because I read that they were a mix of people who were slaves, and a lot of them were Turkic people. I know that they ruled in Egypt, but I didn't think that made them Egyptians.
When I inquired with the professor, he compared them to African-Americans, saying that I wouldn't say that they weren't American would I?
I responded a bit confused thinking that, while I wouldn't say an African-American was not American, I wouldn't expect that their ancestors would have identified as American. Especially since that was their captors nationality, and that I felt it was the same probably with the Mamluks.
I am not trying to "catch" my professor. It was the only question I missed, so I am more curious why I wrong. Thank you.
I would have agreed with you and not your professor. While the fact that the descendants of Mamelukes, like African-Americans, are indisputably regarded as members of their respective nations, that does not change the fact that: A: we are dealing with a pre-nationalistic identity in which your professor's multiple choices don't actually make any sense, B: the Mamelukes intentionally ruled as a separate and distinct class from their local Egyptian subjects, refusing to speak Arabic and thus completely inverting the power structure involved in the African-American comparison your professor made, C: that while we cannot identify where, specifically, they came from does nothing to reduce the fact that NONE of them would have come from Egypt.
More concerning for me is what I would term point D: if he believes that "Mamlukes had ruled Egypt until British came and replaced them." Then that is laughably incorrect. Muhammad Ali Pasha slaughtered the remaining Mamlukes, and his dynasty ruled de facto until British occupation in 1882 and remained nominal rulers until 1952.
edit: typos and a clarification in the last paragraph.
His response to mine was the following, from email.
There is no way to identify their originals. Some of them came as far as from Russia. That is why today some Egyptians have white skins. However, they are Egyptians. Besides, Malmuks had ruled Egypt until British came and replaced them. I am glad your great efforts. However, you are totally entitled to maintain your position, but I have to give the right answer, which you might not agree with. Thanks.