Reuven Amitai is Eliyahu Elath Professor for Muslim History at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and studies the history of the medieval Islamic world, Central Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean.  He is interested in the pre-modern history of the Turks and Mongols, especially the history of the Ilkhanate; the Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt and Syria; the Crusades in the Levant and Muslim responses; the military history of the medieval Middle East World; conversion to Islam; late medieval Arabic epigraphy; and, Palestine in the late medieval period.  He is currently engaged in a study of Gaza under Mamluk rule (1260-1516).