In the previous article, we tackled the victory achieved by Muhammed Ibn Suleiman over the Tulunids, his return to Baghdad after giving the Egyptians one of the most violent eras they have ever experienced. Then Isa Ibn Mohamed Al Nushari took over the rule by Caliph Al Muktafi, and the beginning of the clash led by “Mohammed Ibn Ali Al Khalangy” in order to restore the Tulunid State.
Al Khalangy headed towards Al Remlah with his men, owned it after achieving victory over the Abbasid army there, his power magnified when many joined him. Isa Al Nushari’s soldiers moved to Gaza, when Al Khalangy advanced to fight them, they returned to Al Arish, Al Khalangy followed them where he achieved victory over them, thus the soldiers retracted to Al Farma, then to Al Abbasa. While Mohammed Al Khalangy, he descended, together with his men, to Al Farma.
The defeat news reached the ruler of Egypt: Al-Nushari; he gathered a huge army and headed to Al Abbasa, where news reached him about the progress made by Al Khalangy, which forced him to retreat to Egypt. Ibn Al Teghri says: “… Then he went down to the gates of Egypt, where he received the news concerning the arrival of Mohammed Ibn Ali Al Khalangy, so he entered the country, then he came out of it, accompanied by Abu Zunpor and they crossed the bridge of Egypt … Isa Al Nushari burnt the two bridges of the city; the eastern and the western one …” Al Nushri resided in Giza, and Egypt became without ruler, and thus, the conditions of the country got much worse in those days as theft and looting widely spread across the country, he wrote: “Egypt remained ruled by nobody, Egypt became reachable for the mob to attack the country’s houses, taking the money without being deterred by anyone …”.
Along with the escape of Al Nushari to Giza, Al Khalangy became of greater significance, so he entered Egypt without resistance and took over its rule. Some historians state that the Egyptians rejoiced then; perhaps due to the abundant unrest and lack of security at that time. Al Khalangy sent some of his soldiers to follow Al Nushari. When Al Nushari knew about that, he went to Alexandria followed by the soldiers with other forces who joined them until they all reached Alexandria, where some battles raged with the people of the city, however, the forces of Al Khalangy were able to enter and engaged in a war with Al Nushari and his men, the two sides fought until Al Khalangy’s men were defeated, yet he did not care about that defeat until he received the news informing him that Caliph Al Muktafi sent an army from Iraq to support Al Nushari, who had headed to Upper Egypt.
Al Khalangy began preparations for the battle, he moved towards Al Arish where a fierce fighting was raged between his forces on one hand and the Abbasid army and Al Nushari’s army on the other hand. The wars lasted for a long time, and hence, the state affairs worsened, that a great expensiveness hit Egypt, and many of its people found nothing to eat as a result of the excessive wars and sedition! Things went as such until Al Khalangy realized that he had no possibility of achieving victory, so he tried to escape in a boat, carrying money with him, yet he failed. So, he fled to a house to hide in, but the house owner was afraid, so he reported him, and he was arrested in 293 AH (905 AD) and was then carried to the Caliph who rebuked him, tortured him and eventually killed him. The time he passed in Egypt was eight months, few days more or less.
While for Al Khalangy’s rule over Egypt during that period, Ibn al Taghri stated that he ruled over Egypt through sword, pursuing tyrannical injustice, and confiscating properties of the elite, that people only found hardships from him. Despite all this, whenever he took something from someone, he used to write him a bill then giving back what he had taken. Ibn al Taghri said: “He corrupted the conditions of Egypt, leaving it a void ruination as a result of excessive seditions and confiscations.”!
The Abbasid army entered Egypt, and al Nushari came to it in order to begin a second rule over Egypt and… Stories never end in Beautiful Egypt!
The General Bishop
Head of Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
