Today we are thrilled to announce that Age of Empires is partnering with the world’s most-visited museum, the Louvre in Paris!
On April 30th, the Louvre launched an exhibition on the Mamluk sultanate (1250-1517), a European first. The exhibition aims to share the story of this golden age of the Islamic Near East, showcasing its breadth and richness, all told from a transregional perspective. The Mamluks appear in three Age of Empires titles and players around the world have discovered their prowess and story through our games since 1999.
With a shared passion for history at its heart, this collaboration between Age of Empires and the Louvre serves to share the story of the Mamluks to people around the world and encourage them to learn more about this golden age of medieval history, which isn’t often told.
Throughout the month of June, we’ll be collaborating both at the museum in Paris and online. For an overview of our collaboration, check our dedicated webpage.
You’ll be able to experience content from the partnership at the museum, on our websites, on social media and via the first ever livestream from the museum, on June 12th, starting at 11:00 AM PT (2:00 PM ET / 18:00 UTC).
We are so honored to be working with the Louvre, we share a passion for sharing the stories of history with the world
World’s Edge is honored to collaborate with Le Louvre. The Age of Empires franchise has been bringing history to life for more than 65 million players around the world for almost 30 years. We’ve always believed in the great potential for our games to spark an interest in history and culture. We often hear of teachers using Age of Empires to teach history to their students and stories from our players about how Age of Empires has driven them to learn more, or even to pursue history academically or as a career. This opportunity to bring the amazing stories of the Mamluks to new audiences through the Louvre’s exhibition is one we’re excited to be a part of. We hope that through the excellent work of the Louvre’s team, the legacy of the Mamluks can be shared around the world, and that people enjoy their stories as they come to life through Age of Empires. — Michael Mann, Studio Head at World’s Edge
The Mamluks in Age of Empires
The Mamluks have been an iconic part of the Age of Empires franchise since Age of Empires II (1999). Players today can experience these mighty warriors in Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition, and in Age of Empires IV (via the best-selling Sultans Ascend DLC).
There’s more information about how you can play as the Mamluks in Age games on our partnership webpage.
Play as the Mamluks in an All-New Scenario
To celebrate the partnership, we’re releasing a brand new custom scenario for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition on PC, “Ayn Jalut”. Created by World’s Edge Senior Business Manager, and famed Age campaign designer, Ramsey Abdulrahim. In this scenario, you play as Baybars before the pivotal battle when the fate of the Muslim world held in the balance. Prepare your forces, set up your ambushes, and use your cunning and strategy to overcome the Mongol horde. Like the Mamluks, can you be the first to defeat the Mongols?
When finished, try again and best your friends for the highest score!
The entire world trembled before the Mongols. Rulers of China and Persia, the fearsome horsemen swept through the cities of the Islamic world, leaving ruins. Only Baybars and the Mamluks of Egypt stood in their way. Baybars had gathered an army at Ayn Jalut, the site where the Biblical David slew the giant Goliath. Baybars had been born a thousand miles away, but he knew the Mongols well: they had slaughtered his family and sold him–as a mere boy–into slavery. At Ayn Jalut, he was determined to have his revenge–and slay his own giant.
The Mamluks and the Exhibition
The Mamluks, freed slave-soldiers of primarily Turkish (and later Caucasian) origin, built their legend on their military prowess. They conquered the last bastions of the Crusaders, fought and repelled the Mongols, survived Timur’s invasions and kept threatening neighbors at bay, before succumbing to Ottoman expansion. The sultanate encompassed a vast territory, including Egypt, Bilad al-Sham (modern day Syria, Lebanon, Israel/Palestine and Jordan), parts of Eastern Anatolia and the Hejaz region of Arabia, which includes Mecca and Medina.
The exhibition takes visitors beyond the military legend of the Mamluk sultanate and shows the complex and multi-faceted society they formed. They created a world in which sultans mingled with emirs and rich civil elites, all actively engaging in artistic patronage. Women had active roles in Mamluk society, as well as Christian and Jewish minorities. At the meeting point of Europe, Africa and Asia, people and ideas circulated, as well as arts and trade.
The exhibition is an unprecedented opportunity to discover this glorious and yet little-known empire, through a collection of masterpieces from around the world. Visitors will be exposed to a new perspective on medieval Egypt and the Near East.
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To make sure you can enjoy all the partnership content, make sure you’re following Age of Empires and the Louvre on social media!