Following its conquest, Cairo saw its status reduced from the previously the capital of the Mamluk Sultanate to a provincial city governed from Constantinople.

The economic trends from the later years of the Mamluk Sultanate continued under Ottoman rule, with the country being increasingly subject to taxation by the imperial government and its status as a military base to launch further expansion into surrounding lands.

Initially, the relations between the Mamluk Sultanate and the Ottoman Empire in Turkey and the Balkans were friendly.

However during the last years of the 15th century, the competition to control south Turkey (Çukurova, Cilicia of the antiquity) deteriorated the relations.

After the Battle of Chaldiran in 1514, Ottoman vizier (later grand vizier) Hadim Sinan Pasha retaliated by annexing Dulkadirid territory (most of South East Anatolia) after the Battle of Turnadag to the Ottoman realm in 1515.

After the battle of Ridaniya (23 January 1517) Selim encamped on the island of Vustaniye (or Burac) facing Cairo (at 30°04′N 31°13′E / 30.067°N 31.217°E / 30.067; 31.217), the capital.

Selim entered the city and sent messages of victory (Turkish: zafername) to other rulers about the conquest of Cairo.