The Horse in Mamluk Military: The Dongola Horse

Was the Dongola Horse the preferred mount of the Mamluks?

This is the question I sought to answer. I was well aware that the Mamluks did not exclusively favour the Arabian horse over all other breeds. How did I know this? The Arabic manuscripts from the Sultanate of the Mamluks (1250-1517 A.D.) clearly indicate the use of other horse breeds in military and equestrian sports. But which breed did the Mamluk prize?

The Mamluks, who were slave warriors who rose in power until the became Sultans. They were of Turkic and Mongol origin, particularly during the Bahari Mamluk dynasty of Egypt and Syria (1250-1382 A.D.). The Burji Mamluk dynasty (1382-1517 A.D.) were mainly of Circassian origin. Generally, the Mamluks were tribal nomads of central Asia, some were from Transcaucasia, Georgia, Armenia, Chechnya, and Cherkessia. They were either enslaved in wars or sold by their families out of need or for the hope that the fortunes of their children would change for the better, as the upbringing, education, and bright career awaiting these young Mamluks echoed beyond the Islamic world.

From a young age, they received religious education and military training, which included equestrian training. Upon graduation, they received a horse, weapons, and their deed of manumission. The Mamluks valued the unique qualities of each breed of horses and certainly employed these qualities. The Barb horse and the Dongola horse are among these breeds. Today we will focus on the Dongola horse.  

The Dongola horse, also known as Dongolese, Dongolaw, and Dongolawi, is a rare breed specific to Dongola, which was previously known as the Kingdom of Dongola. Dongola is the capital city of the state of Northern Sudan, located on the banks of the Nile. It is known as Dongola Urdu or New Dongola distinguishing it from the medieval Old Dongola which served as the capital of the Christian kingdom of Makuria and in the 16^th century, it was integrated into the Islamic Funj Sultanate. 

The Dongola horse gets its name from Dongola, and is one of four main African horse breeds alongside the Arabian, Barbe and Pony. It further spread into Africa owing to the Islamic conquests of the region, a factor which probably led to the infusion of Arabian blood into this breed. In 19th-century references, horse breeders of Dongola (including Nubians) claimed that this breed is descended from one of the sacred mares of Prophet Muhammad and his companions, which allowed them to flee from Mecca to Medina during the Hidjra, a mare which would have been taken to Abyssinia. Is it true or is it another myth contributing to the myths of the creation of that breed? Who knows!  Yet unlike the Arabs who favour the mares, the stallions in Sudan are favoured. 

The Dongola horse can be found in northern Sudan, Western Eritrea, and West African nations. There are regional variants such as the West African Dongola and the Bahr-el-Ghazal breed in Chad. Standing at around 15 to 15.2 hands high, the Dongola horse is primarily a riding horse. It is famous for its convex profile, dark coat color, and the presence of large white marks on the head, lower parts of the legs and also the lower part of the belly. The Dongola horse is prized for its endurance and speed. In addition to being a saddle horse, it is utilized for multiple purposes such as traction, horse racing, and mounted for hunting such as in hunting ostriches. 

Giovani Finatti was an Italian explorer who visited Sudan in the 19^th century. He wrote a book about his travels, titled Narrative of the Journey of Giovanni Finatti through Central Africa. In his book, Finatti described the Dongola horse as follows:

“The Dongola horse is a small but fine animal, with a well-proportioned head and neck. It is of a light chestnut color, with a black mane and tail. The Dongola horse is known for its endurance and agility. It is a good riding horse and can also be used for racing or pulling carts.”

Finatti also noted that the Dongola horse was a popular animal among the people of Sudan. He wrote that the Dongola horse was “used by all classes of the people, from the king to the peasant.” The Dongola served for a long time as a war mount , it was widely mobilized by Ethiopian troops during the conflicts against the Italians.

William Youatt in his book entitled ‘The Horse’ published in the first half of the 19^th century describes the Dongola horse as:

 “not at all like any other oriental.The Dongola horses stand full sixteen hands high, but the length of the body, from the shoulders to the quarter, is considerably less. Their form, therefore, is opposite to that of the Arabian, or English Thoroughbred, which are longer by some inches than they are high. The neck is long and slender, the crest fine, and the withers sharp and high, giving a beautiful forehand ; but the breast is too narrow, the quarters and flanks too flat, and the back carped. They constitute excellent war horses, from their speed, durability, and size. “

It is no surprise that this breed was sought after by the Mamluks. During their reign and after they were chased out of Egypt, we find reports informing us the hefty prices the Dongola horse was sold for in Egypt. 

Thomas Legh, a 19^th-century English politician, traveled to Egypt in 1812 and 1813 and published an account of his journey in 1816. He was an eyewitness to the conflict that took place between the Mamluks and Mohamed Ali Pasha of Egypt after the latter had committed the famous Mamluks massacre and chased those who remained alive all the way to Sudan. He wrote about the livelihood of the Mamluks and the Dongolese horse. In 1812 the Mamluks arrived in the Dongola region after they were forced out from Egypt by Muhammad Ali Pasha, establishing a small state. As their capital, they chose the small town of Maragha. Growing significantly, it came to be known as Dongola. In 1820 Muhammad Ali Pasha invaded Sudan and the Mamluks, numbering only 300 men, abandoned the town and fled further to the south. 

 Legh said that in the times of the Mamluks (referring to their effective rule of Ottoman Egypt) the Dongla horse was “valued on the spot at eight, ten, or even twelve slaves.” Can you imagine that? He added: “I heard at Cairo that in the time of the Mamelukes, a Dongolese horse was in such estimation as to sell for one thousand Pounds Sterling.” 

Bossman, an English sportsman, who traveled to Sudan and Abbyssinia, gave another account on the Dongola horse confirming Legh’s report. He said:  

“The Dongola horses are the most perfect in the world, being beautiful, symmetrical in their parts, nervous and elastic in their movements, and docile and affectionate in their manners. One of these horses was sold in 1816, at Grand Cairo, for a sum equivalent to 1000 Pounds.”

 Note than in 1816 that was after the Mamluk’s massacre, when Muhammad Ali Pasha was the viceroy of Egypt and during this period he was forming the Egyptian army and of course the Egyptian cavalry. This is a clear indicator that the Dongola horse was utilized in the Egyptian cavalry just like the Sudanese people who were conscripted into the Egyptian army.