Figure 1.--The Arab conquest of Egypt resylted in the Arabization and Uslamization of Egyptiuan society. Prhaps the most amazing aspect of the conquest is the lack of technological proicess during more than aillenium of Islanic rule. Photographs taken in the late-19th and early-20 century commonly could have been taken centuries earlier. At he same tome the Christian north had undergone changes leading to the modern world. The often ignored question in the history of Egyot and other Middle Eastern coutries is why Islamic countries were locked in a virtual time warp in which there was not technological and cultural change.

Arab armies also brought Islam to Egypt. The Egyptian population like that of the Levant objected to Byzantine rule and the supression of non-orthodix Crustian sects. Arab armies conquered most of Egypt (640). The Arab conquest is considered the most significan event in Egyptian history since the unification of the Two Lands (Upper and Lower Egyot) by King Menes. The Arab general Amr ibn al Aas was personally given command by Mohammed. He led the Arab army into Egypt. Amr crossed into Egypt (December 639). He led an army of about 4,000 mounted warriors. They were armed with lances, swords, and bows. Amr's immediate objective was the fortress of Babylon (Bab al Yun) opposite the island of Rawdah in the Nile River at the apex of the Delta. It proved to be the key to the Arab conquest of Egypt. Any advance up the Delta to Alexandria was risky until the fortress was first taken. Reinforcements arrived, increasing Amr's forces to between 8,000-12,000 men (June 640). The Arab and Byzantine armies met on the plains of Heliopolis (July 640). The Byzantine army was defeated, but not destroyed. Most of the Byzantine force managed to withdraw in good order to the fortress at Babylon. Amr besiged the fortress which fell after 6 months (April 641). Amr then led his army on to Alexandria. The city had defensive fortifications, but the governor decided to surrender rather than confront Amr's army. A treaty was negotiated (November 641). The Byzantines unsucessfully attempted unsuccessfully to retake the city 642). A key factor in the bictory was the Christian Copts. The Byzantines had been trying to force the Copts to accept Byzantine orthodoxy. The Arabs offered the Copts the opportunity to retain their Christian theology. Thus during the fighting, the Copts either remained neutral or actually supported the Arabs. The country was gradually Arabized.

Byzantine Egypt

The Egyptian population like that of the Levant objected to Byzantine rule and the supression of non-orthodix Crustian sects.

Arab Conquest

Arab armies conquered most of Egypt (640). The Arab conquest is considered the most significan event in Egyptian history since the unification of the Two Lands (Upper and Lower Egypt) by King Menes. The Arab general Amr ibn al Aas was personally given command by Mohammed. He led the Arab army into Egypt. Amr crossed into Egypt (December 639). He led an army of about 4,000 mounted warriors. They were armed with lances, swords, and bows. Amr's immediate objective was the fortress of Babylon (Bab al Yun) opposite the island of Rawdah in the Nile River at the apex of the Delta. It proved to be the key to the Arab conquest of Egypt. Any advance up the Delta to Alexandria was risky until the fortress was first taken. Reinforcements arrived, increasing Amr's forces to between 8,000-12,000 men (June 640). The Arab and Byzantine armies met on the plains of Heliopolis (July 640). The Battle of Heliopolis (Ayn Shams) was a decisive battle for Egypt leading tgo Arab control of Egypt. There were some skirmishes after this battle, nut it effectively decided the fate of Byzantine Egypt. It also the way for the Muslim conquest of the Byzantine Exarchate of Africa--North Africa. The Byzantine army was defeated at Heliopolis, but not destroyed. Most of the Byzantine force managed to withdraw in good order to the fortress at Babylon. Amr besiged the fortress which fell after 6 months (April 641). Amr then led his army on to Alexandria. The city had strong defensive fortifications, but the governor decided to surrender rather than confront Amr's army. A treaty was negotiated (November 641).

Bzantine Counter Offensive

The Byzantines unsucessfully attempted unsuccessfully to retake the city 642).

The Copts

A key factor in the Arab victory was the Christian Copts. The Byzantines had been trying to force the Copts to accept Byzantine orthodoxy. The Arabs offered the Copts the opportunity to retain their Christian theology. Thus during the fighting, the Copts either remained neutral or actually supported the Arabs.

Arabization

The country was gradually Arabized. The Arabs transformed medieval Byzantine Egypt from a Christian country to a Muslim country. The Arabic language and culture was gradually were adopted even by those who clung to their Christian or Jewish faiths. Islam gradually became the mjority religion. Aranization was assisted by the ongoing settlement of Arab tribes in Egypt. Unlike Christian Europe at the time, there was aegree of toleration which declined over time as Islam became dominant. Even so it was Islam until modern times was more tolerant than Christendom. There were three options for the people facingArab armies. They could: 1) converting to Islam, 2) retaining their religion as second clkass citizes and the payment of a poll tax, or 3) fight the Arabs.

Arab Egypt

After the Byzantine surrender, the Arabs reinstated the Coptic patriarch was reinstated and permitted exiled Coptic bishops were anle to return to Egypt. Arab authorities returned the churches seized by the Byzantines to the Copts. Amr allowed Copts who held office to continue in ofice. H also appointed other Copts. Amr established his capital south to a new city which hevnamed Al Fustat--modern Cairo. The mosque he built there still stands and is named after him. Egypt became a province of the Caliphate. The governors were appointed by the caliphs. Egypt was a valuable prize, producing a large annual grain harvest and tax revenue.

Consequences

Since the time of Alkexander, Egypt which was never much of a seagoing culture, became an important part of the Meiterranean world durung Helibiaric, Roman, and Byzantine eras. The Islamic conquest fundamentaly chnged this dynamic, With the Arab conquest, Egypt's history and culture became intertwined with the Arab world. Essentially, the mediterranean world became split between an Islamic east and south and a Christian north and west. Thus Egypt would be affected by development in the Arab and Islamic world. Egypt felt the effects of the Arab civil war and defeat of the Umayyad Dynasty (8th century). The of the Abbasid Caliphate seized the Caliphate. The capital of the caliphate was moved from Damascus to Baghdad. This had the impact of weakening the Caliphate's control over Egypt. As the the Abbasid Caliphate began to decline (9th century), Arabized Egyptian dynasties began to take control of Egupt and gradually achieve automybif notv complete independence from a declining Caliphate.

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Created: 6:53 AM 4/11/2010
Last updated: 6:53 AM 4/11/2010