DefinePK

Abstract

Economics is said to contribute to history itself, to an understanding of the evolution of human societies in the past. A discussion concerning economic history necessarily draws on economic theory since economic history has been well defined as a part of history which requires certain knowledge of economics for its full understanding. Research on economic history also depends on data related to the chosen period. Needless to say, the discussion of economic history in the medieval period encounters difficulties such as the lack of relevant data on the economy. One of the reasons for this is that most of the historians during this period did not give a complete description of the economic situation. All data on economics merely appeared in works on political history and biographies. Information on trade and commerce, currency and goods pricing were not perfectly narrated. Therefore, this article endeavours to examine the Mamluk historians and their narratives on the economy of Egypt for the period of 872-922H/1468-1517AD. Even though, the Mamluk historians give scattered and incomplete information on economy, but the combination of all of these data enlighten us on a general opinion about the economy of Egypt and its situation during the period under review.