Final answer:
The main difference between the two Mamluk dynasties lies in the geographical expansion of their empires, with the earlier Bahri dynasty focused on Egypt, the Levant, and the Hijaz, and the later Burji dynasty managing a more expansive trade network influenced by European maritime discovery.
Step-by-step explanation:
The main difference between the two Mamluk dynasties centered on their geographical expansion. The Bahri dynasty, consisting mostly of Turks and Mongols, established the Mamluk Sultanate and had a focus on Egypt, the Levant, and the Hijaz. They lasted from 1250 to 1382. In contrast, the Burji dynasty, primarily Circassians, controlled Egypt from 1382 until the Ottoman conquest in 1517. The Burji Mamluks displayed more flexibility in military alliances and engagement with the wider trade networks, which were made more complicated by the discovery of sea routes that bypassed the traditional overland trade routes.
The Mamluk system in Egypt was a military caste system, where slaves of foreign origin were trained as soldiers and later could obtain high positions in the society, similar to the Janissary system of the Ottomans. Both systems provided stability and continuity in the military and governance of their respective states. However, it was the geographical expansiveness and control over trade routes during their periods of rule that most distinguished the two Mamluk dynasties from each other. Additionally, some economic policies and trade practices also differed, with the later Burji dynasty having to adapt to the changes brought about by European exploration and the beginning of a maritime trade era.