THE CHRISTIAN KINGDOMS AND THE ARAB PENETRATION

In the long middle stretch of the Nile valley south of Egypt, the thirteenth century saw the climax of the transition from a Christian tradition to a Muslim one in the two riverine kingdoms of Maqurra and ʿAlwa, where Christian dynasties had ruled since their conversion by Byzantine missionaries during the fifth and sixth centuries ad. The Arab conquerors of Egypt in the seventh century had moved on quickly to mop up the other Byzantine provinces in North Africa, but they had seen no advantage in trying to extend their conquests beyond the Byzantine frontiers to the south. Instead, they had negotiated a pact (in Arabic, baqt) with the king of Maqurra, whereby in exchange for an annual payment of 365 slaves, they undertook not to attack the Nubians but on the contrary to keep them supplied with the wheat and wine needed for the celebration of the Christian eucharist. There was to be free passage for merchants and bona fide travellers, but fugitives from either side were to be arrested and returned. Prominent among the travellers were the pilgrims from both of the Nubian kingdoms and also from Ethiopia, who made their way to and from Jerusalem in large companies with drums beating and flags flying, and with frequent halts for Christian worship.