Conquest·Rashidun
Muslim Conquest of Egypt
- Date
- 641 CE20 AH1,385 years ago
- Place
- Egypt (Babylon fortress, Alexandria)
- People
- Amr ibn al-As, Umar ibn al-Khattab
Amr ibn al-As led a small Muslim army into Egypt in 639 CE with the approval of Caliph Umar. He took Pelusium and then the fortress of Babylon near modern Cairo. Alexandria, the Byzantine capital of Egypt, surrendered in 642 after a siege and negotiations. Amr founded Fustat, which became the new capital. The campaign lasted about three years.
Why it matters
Egypt, a major source of grain and a gateway to North Africa, came under Muslim rule and became a base for later expansion west.