Was There Economic Decline in Mamluk Egypt in the Late Middle Ages? Demographic Shock, Industrial Transformation, and Move Towards a Knowledge Economy

Did the Egyptian economy decline in the late Middle Ages? This article discusses
possible causes for Egypt’s apparent decline: climate, epidemics, breakdown of irrigation agriculture, violence, weak institutions, and a failure to adopt new technology. It argues that the demographic impact of contagion, perhaps exacerbated by climate change, transformed Egypt. Agriculture contracted in step with reduced demand and the manufacturing sector outsourced mass production to Europe while concentrating on high-quality products. Primary and secondary
sectors thus declined while the tertiary sector (international trade and higher education including numerous madrasas) thrived: by the end of the Middle Ages, Egypt had moved towards a fully mature knowledge economy.