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Originally Posted by M.carter
Hello Rivkin,
Werent Turkish slaves first bought as slaves then trained in the sultans tibaq (barracks)? Or were they bought as professional warriors. As I have surely read that they were bought at a very young age, at 4 or 5 and sent to the barracks to train in the arts of war until the age of 20 then freed and enter the Sultans army.
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This was the most desired case. However (Rustam's memoir) in reality children from 4 to 14 were considered. Adult fighters also were present on the market - some of the mamluks were resold before being freed, however in the early age of the system a lot of accomplished fighters from abroad have been purchased - to be both soldiers and trainers.
On mamluk training - "Training of the Mamluk Faris" seems to be probably the most comprehensive book, together with "Archery of Saracens" and so on.