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How did Selim I expand the Ottoman Empire into Syria and Egypt?

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This map shows the territorial expansion of the Ottoman Empire from 1300 to its greatest extent in 1683-99, highlighting different periods under rulers such as Mehmed II, Selim I, and Süleyman the Magnificent, and marking key cities, seas, and geographical boundaries in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. — Ottoman Empire Map showing the expansion of the Ottoman Empire from about 1300 to 1700. The empire reached its greatest extent between 1683 and 1699.

Selim I expanded the Ottoman Empire into Syria and Egypt primarily through military conflict with the Mamluk rulers, who controlled those regions. The tension escalated after Selim subjugated the Dulkadir principality of Elbistan, which the Mamluks considered their protégé.1

Selim I secured these territories through two decisive military victories:

Battle of Marj Dābiq: Fought north of Aleppo on August 24, 1516, this battle resulted in a defeat for the Mamluk armies.1
Battle of Raydāniyyah: Fought near Cairo on January 22, 1517, this final defeat of the Mamluks brought Syria, Egypt, and Palestine under Ottoman rule.1

Following these conquests, Egypt became a province governed from Constantinople, serving as a source of taxation and a base for further imperial expansion. In a symbolic acknowledgment of his new status, the sharif of Mecca presented Selim with the keys to the holy city in Cairo, recognizing him as the leader of the Islamic world.21