Recollections of Napoleon's French Mameluke
Napoleon Bonaparte's adventure in the Middle East brought him in close contact with the Mamelukes-the dominant military caste of Egypt at the close of the 18th century. As students of the period know, despite the fact that the French inflicted devastating defeats on the Mamelukes, their exotic 'oriental' appearance appealed to a European sense of romance to the degree that Mameluke cavalry took their place in the Imperial Guard. Napoleon notably enrolled a Mameluke, Roustan Raza, as his bodyguard and valet. There was also a second valet, known...

Recollections of Napoleon's French Mameluke
Napoleon Bonaparte's adventure in the Middle East brought him in close contact with the Mamelukes-the dominant military caste of Egypt at the close of the 18th century. As students of the period know, despite the fact that the French inflicted devastating defeats on the Mamelukes, their exotic 'oriental' appearance appealed to a European sense of romance to the degree that Mameluke cavalry took their place in the Imperial Guard. Napoleon notably enrolled a Mameluke, Roustan Raza, as his bodyguard and valet. There was also a second valet, known...