In the previous article, we spoke of the tenure of Yazid bin Mu’awiyah bin Abu Sufyan after his father’s death. We also tackled the battle of Karbala, al-Hussein’s death, as well as al-Zubayr’s declaration of himself caliph in Mecca and how the people of Tihamah and Hejaz pledged allegiance to him. This provoked Yazid. So, he sent troops to Mecca. While fighting, Yazid died. In effect, the troops retracted to the Levant. Mu’awiyah bin Yazid took over after his father. Yet, he deposed himself of his own accord. Marawan bin al-Hakam took over after him. Pope John III was contemporary to those incidents. He was the one to retrieve the Orthodox churches which the Melchites closed.
Marawan bin al-Hakam (683-685 A.D.)
While the people of Mecca, Basra, Hejaz, Yemen, and Iraq pledged allegiance to Abdullah bin al-Zubayr, the people of the Levant pledged allegiance to Marawan bin al-Hakam. The Umayyads, on the other hand, were split into two factions. One of them pledged allegiance to Marawan, while the other pledged allegiance to al-Dahhak bin Qays. However, Marawan defeated al-Dahhak and became caliph. After matters had been settled in the Levant, Marawan marched to Egypt. At that time, Abdul Rahman bin Juhdum, of Quraysh, was the proconsul. Marawan won the people’s allegiance there, making his son Abdul Aziz proconsul.
Having got to know that Amr bin Sa’id bin al-‘As said he would succeed him, Marawan bin al-Hakam named his sons, Abdul Aziz and Abdul Malik, caliphs in 684. After Marawan’s death, his son Abdul Malik became caliph. Some historians maintain that Marawan was strangled to death by his wife, the mother of Khalid bin Yazid. Others say he died by plague.
The Proconsuls of Egypt
Abdul Rahman bin Juhdum (683-684)
He was appointed by Abdullah bin al-Zubayr in 683. His tenure lasted for nine months after which Marawan bin al-Hakam deposed him, appointing his son Abdul Aziz in his stead. Abdul Rahman got to know that Marawan was marching to Egypt. So, he decided to fight him. He dug a trench around Fustat in one month. This trench is still in Fustat cemetery. When Marawan reached Heliopolis, Abdul Rahman fought him for about two days, after which he returned with his army to the trench. Battalions would replace one another in fighting. In that battle many people from Egypt and the Levant were killed, until Marawan came over in 684. According to some records, Marawan spent two months in Egypt, then assigned its affairs to his son, Abdul Aziz. Abdul Aziz asked him, “O’ Prince of believes! How come I stay at a country where none of brethren reside?” Marawan replied, “If you treat them well, they will be your brethren. Be pleasant to win them over. Tell each one he is your favorite so he might observe others and make them follow you. I have made your brother your faithful associate, and Musa bin Nusayr your minister and adviser. Better be a prince at a far place than lead a life of sloth.”
Abdul Aziz bin Marawan (684-704 A.D.)
He handled Egypt’s affairs for about twenty years. He had many good qualities. According to historians, he was quite generous. In 686, he built the proconsul’s mansion and called it “the golden mansion” for it had a magnificent golden dome. The mansion was so splendid that it was called “Medina”. It is located in Souq al-Hamam (Souq al Sayeda Aicha). When Abdul Aziz got ill, physicians advised him to stay at Helwan in order to recover. So, he spent some time at Abu Sifein Monastery, Tamouh. He recovered quickly, which made appreciate monks more and more.
Abdul Aziz decided to reside permanently in Helwan. So, he ordered his architects to design it. He had Ain Helwan, markets and mosques established. He moved the House of money (bayt al-mal) there. The steward of bayt al-mal was a Christian. His name was Antinas. Likewise, he built luxurious palaces in Helwan. He assigned the wealthy Copts to build houses for themselves. He asked the patriarch to build a church to make people like living in the place. He also had hanging bridges built in Helwan so that water from Muqattam might reach it. He had trees and palm trees planted, after which he made it his headquarters: for plague had started to spread in Egypt.
Pope John III (677-686 A.D.)
Pope John III, the fortieth patriarch, had many virtues. He was kind and loving. Thus, he was loved and honored by everybody, especially elites. He was generous and charitable. So much so that when costliness alighted upon Egypt and endured for three years, he used to help the needy. God helped him meet their needs. Had it not been for him, those people would have perished from hunger and thirst.
It came to pass that Sa’id bin Yazid, one of the proconsuls, traveled to Alexandria. The Pope was not told. Hence, he did not receive him. Some wicked people interfered to make a rift. One of them was Theophilus, the Melchite ruler of Marriott. They told the proconsul that the Pope was too rich and haughty to receive him, which upset the proconsul. In effect, he laid a heavy fine on the Pope. Yet, the Pope did not have enough money to pay. The Copt scribes intervened. They asked the proconsul to summon the Pope and listen to him, having already decided to collect the required money. When the proconsul met the Pope, he loved his meekness. So, he ordered a cushion for him to sit on and asked him to pay just what he had. The proconsul said, “Pay me what Christians had given you only.” The scribes told the Pope to accept the offer. The Pope left the proconsul‘s place with dignity. On the other hand, the proconsul tortured Theophilus and killed him, seeing that his wrongdoing had increased.
During the tenure of Abdul Aziz bin Marawan, God made the proconsul pleased with the Pope; so he ordered everybody to address the Pope respectfully, and never to denigrate or hurt him. At that time, the Pope built a church called after St. Mark. By the end of his life, the Pope suffered from gout which made him in constant pain. One day, the Pope accompanied the proconsul from Alexandria to the capital. When they arrived, the Pope had become very exhausted. The proconsul grieved and sent him the scribes to help him. So, he was taken to Alexandria where he went St. Mark’s Church to pray. Then, he had a coma which endured for a few days, after which he departed. This was in 686 A.D.
During the life of Pope John III, God guided him to a good monk in St. Makar’s Monastery. The monk’s name was Isaac. The Pope summoned him to copy a book, but he did not do well intentionally: for he did not want to be appointed in any post. When the Pope learned about this, he put him in his custody and assigned him some tasks in the church. Due to Isaac’s faithfulness, the Pope involved him in the service, just for a new story to begin. Stories never end in Beautiful Egypt.
General Bishop
Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
