The Sultan's Banquets in the Memluk Era

The researcher has noticed the huge number of banquets that the Sultan used to throw during Memluk times, coinciding with many occasions. This highlighted the role of the Memluk Sultan’s cooks in preparing these banquets. Therefore, it is beneficial to review, analyze and detail these banquets and the occasions on which they were thrown. The historical data collected on this topic will shed light on the daily Sultanic banquets and the ones that coincided with special occasions which were many and varied: such as on becoming a Sultan, banquets intended to soften the hearts of foes and win their trust, and banquets intended to show the Sultan’s strength to his adversaries. There were also banquets to celebrate victory over enemies, banquets in the Sultan’s honour before travelling and on coming back safely, banquets to honour guests of the Sultanate, and banquets to welcome the Sultan’s deputies when they visit him.There were also banquets to celebrate the completion of a building or new schools and other institutions, banquets to honour the appointment of respectable sheikhs and teachers, and banquets for the Sultan’s close family members such as welcoming new births, circumcision, marriage banquets and banquets celebrating the Sultan’s recovery from illness, mourning the loss of a close family member or winning a ball game. There were also banquets on the occasion of a national calamity such as the plague, banquets celebrating a religious occasion such as the Prophet’s Hijira or his birth date, Eid Alfitr banquet and so on.