Battle of Ridaniya

The Battle of Ridaniya or Battle of Ridanieh (Arabic: معركة الريدانية; Turkish: Ridaniye Muharebesi) was fought on January 22, 1517, in Egypt. The Ottoman forces of Selim I defeated the Mamluk forces under Al-Ashraf Tuman bay II. The Turks marched into Cairo, and the severed head of Tuman bay II, Egypt’s last Mamluk Sultan, was hung over an entrance gate in the Al Ghourieh quarter of Cairo.¹ Or, alternatively, he was hung from the gate and buried after three days.² The Ottoman grand vizier, Hadım Sinan Pasha, was killed in action.

Description of the battle

Sultan Tuman bay II now resolved himself to march out as far as Salahia, and there meet the Turks wearied by the desert march;² however, at the last he yielded to his Emirs who entrenched themselves at Ridanieh a little way out of the city.² By this time, the Ottomans were crossing the Sinai Peninsula and having reached Arish, were marching unopposed by Salahia and Bilbeis to Khanqah;² on January 20 they reached Birkat al Hajj, a few hours from Cairo, the Mamluk Sultanate's capital. Two days later the main body confronted the Egyptian entrenchment, while a party crossing Mocattam Hill took them in the flank. The Battle of Ridanieh was fought January 22, 1517. With a band of devoted followers, Tuman threw himself into the midst of the Ottoman ranks, and even reached Sinan Pasha's tent and personally killed him, thinking he was Selim. But in the end the Egyptians were routed, and fled two miles up the . The Ottomans then entered the City of unopposed. They took the and slew the entire Circassian garrison, while all around the streets became the scene of terrible outrage. himself occupied an island close to Bulac. The following day his Vizier, entering the city, endeavored to stop the wild rapine of the troops; and the Caliph , who had followed in Selim's train, led the public service invoking blessing on his name. The Caliph's prayer as given by .