The Ottoman victory in the battle gave Selim's armies control of the entire region of Syria and opened the door to the conquest of Egypt.

Sultan Al-Ashraf Qansuh al-Ghawri spent the winter of 1515 and the spring of 1516 preparing an army, which he proposed leading to the disturbed confines of Asia Minor.

[10] Leaving Al-Ashraf Tuman bay II in control of Cairo,[11] the Sultan and his army marched north with great pomp and were accompanied by music, singing and festivity.

The hosts included fifteen high-ranking emirs of a Thousand, 5,000 of his own royal Mamluks, and militia conscripts and were supplemented during the march by additional Syrian and Bedouin contingents.

[12] High officers of state, the Abbasid caliph Al-Mutawakkil III, sheikhs, and courtiers, together with muezzins, physicians and musicians, followed in his train.

[14] Advancing slowly Al-Ashraf Qansuh al-Ghawri entered Damascus on 9 June,[15] with carpets spread in his pathway, and European merchants scattered gold to the crowd.

[16] Meanwhile, another embassy arrived from the Ottoman camp, which under the pretense of peace brought lavish presents to the Sultan, Caliph Al-Mutawakkil III, and his vizier.

[18] Chancellor Mughla Bey was sent back with counter-gifts, but by the time that he reached the Ottoman camp, Selim I had thrown off his ruse of peace.

[21] The Mamluk army advanced and on 20 August made camp at the plain of Marj Dabiq, a day's journey north of Aleppo.

A rumor began to spread that al-Ghawri had ordered the recruits to hold their position, avoid combat, and leave the fighting to the veteran soldiers who were already engaged in battle.

When Marshall Sûdûn Adjami and Sibay, who were leading the attack, were suddenly killed, panic broke out in the Mamluks' advancing right flank.

At the worst moment, and with the situation growing worse, the emir Timur Zardkash feared for the safety of the battle standard, lowered and stowed it, then came to find the sultan.

According to one version of the battle, the sultan was found alive on the field and his head cut off and buried to prevent its falling into the enemy's hands.