The Contributions of the Mamluks to the Architecture of the Prophet’s Mosque

This paper discusses the contributions of the Mamluks to the architecture and development of the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. The main discussion lays emphasis on two major issues: Making the Mosque in the Mamluk architectural image, and the maturation of architectural deviations. In order to make them more comprehensible, the two thrusts are preceded by a brief account of a religio-political context that existed prior to and at the time when the Mamluks started to assert their authority, both locally and internationally. In the sheer context of the architectural development of the Mosque, the Mamluks unmistakably showed why they are regarded as some of the greatest patrons of art and architecture in the history of Islamic civilization. But in terms of how they dealt with the prevalent architectural deviations, the Mamluks could be recognized both as victims of the established nonconformist architectural tendencies and trends, and as active protagonists in their further nurturing and spreading.