Ghulam


Ghulam

 

(Arabic; literally, youth or slave). (1) A slave in Muslim countries during the Middle Ages.

(2)Permanent mounted guard in the Abbasid Caliphate, created under Caliph Mamun (ruled 813–833) and recruited from young slaves, primarily of Turkish origin, who were purchased and brought from abroad. The term ghulam (synonym, Mamluk) was retained for the soldiers of the court guards in other medieval Muslim states.

(3)Rank and file soldiers in the feudal militia in the Ottoman Empire during the Middle Ages.

(4)Guardsmen-slaves of Turkish origin in the Delhi Sultanate (India) and the sultans of Delhi between 1206 and the 1290’s, who came from among the commanders of these guardsmen.