Although all mamluks were technically slaves, there were sharp differences among them. The leaders of the households are referred to as "Mamluks," and it was these who were the target of the massacre of 1811. Their followers who later joined Mehmed Ali's service as well as other white slaves who were bought by him and by other dignitaries are referred to as "mamluks."

DEFINE: Clarifies the technical distinction between capitalized 'Mamluks' (household leaders) and lowercase 'mamluks' (ordinary white slaves) in Ottoman Egyptian society. Builds on: "The Ottomans' own purges of the Mamluks preceded Mehmed Ali's massacre."

Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed…, loc. 548