Today, we resume tackling the historical series “Beautiful Egypt”, which has been launched several years ago to highlight Pharaonic Egypt and the incidents it went through, then what Egypt witnessed under the emperors and governors, besides the tribulations and crises its people had faced throughout ages.
We stopped at the era of Al-Mustansir Billah’s rule (427-487 AH) (1036-1094 AD), who delivered speeches on the pulpits of Iraq after the takeover of Al-Basasiri and ousting the Abbasid Caliph Al-Qaem bi-Amr Allah. In the era of Al-Mustansir, Egypt witnessed one of the most difficult eras it has ever passed through. It was subjected to a severe hardship, which was called the Mustansiri Plight (Al Shiddah Al Mustansiriyah). Some historians attributed it to the strife that erupted between the Turks and the slaves in Egypt; Al-Maqrizi described it as: “The great strife due to which entire Egypt was ravaged”! In addition to the scarcity of the Nile water. Al-Mustansir had entrusted Abu Muhammad al-Hassan al-Yazuri to manage the affairs of the ministry. He came from Palestine to Egypt, occupied a number of positions until he became “the Judge of the Judges,” then his status grew greater until he was assigned the tasks of the ministry. Al-Yazuri occupied great status until 450 AH (1058 AD) when Al-Mustansir ordered his arrest and exile to Tinnis, then he was killed.
Historians had various reasons for killing Al-Yazuri. The Church historians state that the era of Al-Yazuri ministry was so severe for Egypt’s Copts; as all the churches in Egypt were ordered to be locked down! Christians got enraged and were joined by their fellow rational Muslims, especially after severe strife was sparked off near Al-Ashmonin, striping the monks of Martyr Abanoub’s Monastery of their lives.
Conditions in Egypt degraded from bad to worse, so Al-Mustansir sent to Badr Al Jamali about whom Ibn Al-Taghri says: “Badr al-Jamali embarked on reforming the affairs of the Egyptian lands: he snatched Al-Sharqiya from the hands of the Arabs of Lawata, killed a great number of them, captured their princes, seized huge sums of money from them, and reconstructed the countryside, causing prices to be reduced and returned to their first state.” He paid attention to Alexandria and built Al-Attarin Mosque. Historians mention that Al-Awhad, the son of Badr Al-Jamali disobeyed his father and took refuge in Alexandria, his father headed to him and besieged Alexandria. Alexandrians pleaded for safety and opened the doors to him, so he entered and captured his son. Badr al-Jamali also cared for Upper Egypt and put down the strife. Badr al-Jamali died in the days of al-Mustansir, and was succeeded by his son Al-Afdal Shahanshah. Al-Mustansir continued assuming caliphate playing no remarkable role in governance, with the assistance of Badr al-Jamali then his son Al-Afdal until his death in 487 AH (1094 AD), to be succeeded by his son Ahmad who was called Al-Musta’li Billah, in whom days affairs were taken over by Al-Afdal Shahanshah. In the days of Al-Mustansir, a great earthquake occurred in the city of Tabriz, the most famous city of Azerbaijan, causing the death of thousands of people, said to be approximately 40 or 50 thousand, other earthquakes occurred in each Palmyra and Baalbek in the Levant.
As for the relationship of Caliph Al-Mustansir with the Copts, it was fluctuating; He appointed them in their government jobs, then dismissed them, and soon he restored them! It is reported that he asked them to organize the diwans (ministries) and to collect the money. Nonetheless, after a short time, he persecuted them, ordered them to wear the black sash, and imposed taxes on them. It was also mentioned in his days that a Christian person called Abu Sahl died, and his funeral marched during daylight. Ibn Al-Taghri states: “The mobs revolted against the Christians, burnt the dead body and went to the monastery to loot it.” Al-Mustansir was contemporary of four father patriarchs: Pope Shenouda II (1032-1047 AD) (65th), Pope Christodoulos (1047-1077 AD) (66th), Pope Kyrillos II (1078-1092 AD) (67th) and Pope Mikhail II (1092-1102 AD) (68th) and… Stories in beautiful Egypt never end!
The General Bishop
Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
