The Tulunid State, also known as the Tulunid Emirate or The State of Banu Tulun, and popularly referred to as the Tulunids (Arabic: الطولونيون) was a Mamluk dynasty of Turkic origin who was the first independent dynasty to rule Egypt, as well as much of Syria, since the Ptolemaic dynasty. They were independent from 868, when they broke away from the central authority of the Abbasid Caliphate, to 905, when the Abbasids restored the Tulunid domains to their control.

The Tulunid State emerged during a period marked by the growing power of the Turkic within the Abbasid Caliphate. This was a time when the Turkish guard exerted control over the empire's affairs, and when ethnic Shu'ubiyya and separatist tendencies began to emerge among the various peoples and governors of the vast Abbasid territories. The establishment of the Tulunid State was one of the inevitable outcomes of this growing sentiment. In the late 9th century, internal conflict amongst the Abbasids made control of the outlying areas of the empire increasingly tenuous, and in 868 the Turkic officer Ahmad ibn Tulun established himself as an independent governor of Egypt. He subsequently achieved nominal autonomy from the central Abbasid government. During his reign (868–884) and those of his successors, the Tulunid domains were expanded to include Jordan Rift Valley, as well as Hejaz, Cyprus and Crete. Ahmad was succeeded by his son Khumarawayh, whose military and diplomatic achievements made him a major player in the Middle Eastern political stage. The Abbasids affirmed their recognition of the Tulunids as legitimate rulers, and the dynasty's status as vassals to the caliphate. After Khumarawayh's death, his successor emirs were ineffectual rulers, allowing their Turkic and black slave-soldiers to run the affairs of the state. In 905, the Tulunids were unable to resist an invasion by the Abbasid troops, who restored direct caliphal rule in Syria and Egypt.

The Tulunid period was marked by economic and administrative reforms alongside cultural ones. Ahmad ibn Tulun changed the taxation system and aligned himself with the merchant community. He also established the Tulunid army. The capital was moved from Fustat to al-Qata'i, where the celebrated mosque of Ibn Tulun was constructed.

Shu'ubiyya tendency is characterized by a preference for non-Arab "Ajam" over Arab "tribes". The etymology of this term can be traced back to an interpretation of a Quranic verse: "and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another." (Quran 49:13). Some interpreters have proposed that the term "peoples" in this context may be understood to refer to "civilized peoples". This inclination first manifested during the Abbasid Caliphate, emerging as a consequence of several factors, most notably the ethnic diversity that characterized the vast Abbasid state and the appointment of non-Arabs to positions within the courts and administrative apparatus of the Abbasid caliphs.

In establishing their rule, the Abbasids relied on the Persians, who held resentment towards the Umayyads. This was in contrast to the Umayyads, who relied on Arab elements to manage their state and lead their armies. In return for their support, the early Abbasid caliphs rewarded their Persian allies by appointing them to ministerial and military leadership roles. However, these caliphs soon came to recognize that the influence of Persian ministers had surpassed their own, leading them to eliminate them. For example, Abū Jaʿfar al-Manṣūr killed his minister Abu Muslim al-Khurasani, and Harun al-Rashid executed his minister Jaʽfar ibn Yahya Barmaki and persecuted his family. This political struggle between Persians and Arabs at the dawn of the Abbasid era gave rise to the Shu'ubiyya movement, which sought to elevate non-Arab peoples above Arabs. This movement asserted that these peoples were superior in terms of civilization, literature, and poetry. A lengthy debate ensued between the two sides, with each faction being represented by its poets, writers, and politicians. This schism among the population of the state eventually resulted in the emergence of the inaugural separatist movements against the Abbasid Caliphate, spearheaded by the military commander Tahir ibn Husayn, who established the Tahirid dynasty in Khorasan in 821 CE.

The internal factors that encouraged the spread of separatist movements included the vast expanse of the Abbasid Caliphate, which had grown into an empire stretching across the region from the borders of China to the central Maghreb in North Africa. However, this vastness, rather than providing a source of strength for the state, became a source of weakness, contributing to its disintegration and fragmentation. The considerable distance between the various parts of the empire and its capital, coupled with the inherent difficulties of communication in that era, permitted governors in distant provinces to exceed the limits of their authority and govern their regions independently, without concern for the armies dispatched from the capital to suppress their separatist movements, which often arrived too late to be of any consequence. The weakness of the caliphs further exacerbated these issues, enabling them to fester and weaken the state. The governors exploited this weakness, with some even residing in Baghdad and sending deputies to manage their provinces. These deputies, in turn, began seeking independence for their regions, transforming their positions into hereditary roles passed down to their sons. As a result, small states emerged that were only nominally connected to the Abbasid Caliphate.

The Umayyads were the first to bring the Turkic from their lands after their conversion to Islam, employing them in their armies and state apparatus. Following the collapse of the Umayyad Caliphate and the ascendance of the Abbasid Caliphate, which was consolidated under the leadership of Abu Ja'far al-Mansur, several Turkish individuals began to assume prominent roles within the Abbasid court, as their numbers increased. The Abbasid caliphs of the early Abbasid era employed them in their palaces, entrusted them with confidential information, and assigned them the responsibility of ensuring their safety. Abu Ja'far al-Mansur was the first Abbasid caliph to integrate the Turks as intimate associates and officials, placing his confidence in Hamad al-Turki, who subsequently became one of his most trusted confidants and aides. Such was the extent of his trust in him that he entrusted him alone with the state's records, carrying the key to the records in his sleeve.

Al-Mansur eschewed the employment of Arabs in his palaces, refusing to allow any Arab to serve in his court or harem. Instead, he favored other groups, such as the Turks. He was the first to appoint them as chamberlains, selecting Hamad al-Turki as his chamberlain after the state was firmly established, and also appointing him as governor of the Sawad region. Abū Abd Allāh al-Mahdī also employed several Turks in his palaces, including Shakir al-Turki, a military leader in Fars, and Faraj al-Khadim, who subsequently became prominent during the reign of Harun al-Rashid. Additionally, he appointed Yahya ibn Sa'id al-Harashi as governor of Egypt in 778 CE.