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The Early Islamic Period (640-969)
:
Under the first Khalif of Islam Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, Prophet
Muhammad's closest companion, the Muslim armies vanquished the
Byzantines in 636 AD. They advanced
toward Egypt under the command of Amr Ibn Al'aas, one of the
companions of the Prophet.
The Muslims laid siege to Babylon-in-Egypt, which surrendered. They
then took "HELIOPOLIS" and in 642
AD the Byzantine imperial capital of Alexandria. Amr Ibn Al-'as
established Fustat north of Babylon-in-Egypt as his military
headquarters and seat of government and the Egyptians swiftly embraced
the new religion of Islam.
Egypt became part of an expanding empire that was soon to stretch from
Spain to Central Asia. The Ummayyad Dynasty ruled Egypt from Damascus
until the Abbasids took control of the Caliphate and shifted the
political capital of Islam to Baghdad.
Ahmad Ibn Tulun, who had been sent by the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mu'taz
to govern Egypt in 868 AD, declared Egypt
an independent state and successfully defended his new domain against
the Abbasid armies sent to unseat him. His dynasty ruled Egypt for
37 years. Ibn Tulun built Al-Qitai,
a new capital centered around a vast central mosque, the courtyard of
which could accommodate his entire army and their horses. But Tulunid
rule was quickly ended by the Abbasids, who retained direct control
over.
Egypt until Mohammed Ibn Tughj was appointed governor
over the province and granted the title Ikhshid, allowing him to rule
independently of Caliphate controls. The Ikhshidi Dynasty ruled from
935-969 AD when Egypt was invaded by
Shi'aa Fatimid armies from Tunisia.
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