Arab conquest of Egypt

Quick Facts: Who was Arab conquest of Egypt?

Subject:

Arab conquest of Egypt

Known for:

The 639–642 AD campaign by Amr ibn al-As that ended Roman/Byzantine control over Egypt.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Arab conquest of Egypt, led by the army of Amr ibn al-As, under the Rashidun Caliphate took place between 639 and 642 AD. It ended the Roman period in Egypt which began in 30 BC and lasted for seven centuries, and more broadly, the Greco-Roman period which lasted for about a millennium. Prior to the conquest, Byzantine rule in the country had been shaken, as Egypt had been conquered and occupied by the Sasanian Empire for a decade between 618–629, before being reconquered by the Byzantines under emperor Heraclius. The Caliphate took advantage of Byzantines' exhaustion to invade Egypt. During the mid-630s, the Romans had already lost the Levant and its Ghassanid allies in Arabia to the Caliphate.

Career & Major Achievements

The loss of the prosperous province of Egypt and the defeat of the Byzantine armies severely weakened the empire, resulting in further territorial losses in the centuries to come. In 640, Heraclius was the Byzantine emperor, Cyrus of Alexandria was both the government-appointed Chalcedonian Patriarch of Alexandria and de facto governor of Egypt, and Theodore was the commander-in-chief of the Byzantine army in the province. The majority of the Egyptians were non-Chalcedonian Oriental Christians who recognised Pope Benjamin I as their rightful Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria rather than Cyrus. Since the time of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, Egypt was administratively divided into four provinces under the control of the general ruler of the East in Constantinople. These provinces were Aigyptiaca (Alexandria and the western Delta), Augustamnica (the eastern Delta until Arish in northern Sinai), Arcadia (Middle Egypt to Oxyrhynchus) and Thebaid (Upper Egypt starting at Hermopolis).

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Each of these provinces was headed by a Pagarch (prefect). This division resulted in divided accountability for Egypt, which contributed to its defeat to both the Sasanian invasion (618–621 AD) and the Arab invasion (641 AD). Following the death of Muhammad in 632 AD, the Arab armies of the Rashidun Caliphate began expanding toward both Sasanian Persia and the Byzantine Empire. Neither of the two former powers was prepared for the aggressive expansion of the Arabs, as both largely underestimated them. This is best depicted by the ambivalent views held by the Byzantines and the painstakingly slow reaction of the Sasanians.

Notable Quotes by Arab conquest of Egypt

“the conquest of Egypt will give great power to the Muslims and will be a great aid to them, for it is the wealthiest land and the weakest in fighting and war power.”

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Arab conquest of Egypt

True or False: “The Arab conquest of Egypt was an immediate result of the Sasanian Empire's withdrawal from the region.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While the Sasanian occupation weakened Byzantium, the Caliphate took advantage of Byzantine exhaustion following their decade-long conflict with the Sasanians.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Arab–Israeli conflict — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: A protracted geopolitical struggle over the land of Palestine between Jewish and Arab populations.
• Arab–Khazar wars — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: A series of wars (c. 642–799 CE) for control over the strategic Caucasus region.
• Arab Revolt — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: An armed uprising by Hashemite-led Arabs in the Hejaz against the Ottoman Empire during WWI.
• Arab Spring — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: A wave of pro-democracy protests, uprisings, and rebellions across the Arab world in the early 2010s.
• Arabanoo — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Eora man forcibly taken by British colonists, becoming a key figure in early interactions.
• Arai Hakuseki — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Influential Confucian scholar and bureaucrat who advised the Tokugawa Shogunate during the Edo period.

Frequently Asked Questions about Arab conquest of Egypt