ere seems no doubt
that the latter view is correct. The terms were those on which conquered
communities were ordinarily taken under Moslem protection. In return for
a tribute of money (_jizyah_) and food for the troops of occupation
(_daribat-al-ta'am_), the Christian inhabitants of Egypt were to be
excused military service, and to be left free in the observance of their
religion and the administration of their affairs.

From 639 to 968 Egypt was a province of the Eastern Caliphate, and was
ruled by governors sent from the cities which at different times ranked
as capitals. Like other provinces of the later Abbasid Caliphate its
rulers were, during this period, able to establish quasi-independent
dynasties, such being those of the Tulunids who ruled from 868 to 905,
and the Ikshidis from 935-969. In 969 the country was conquered by
Jauhar for the Fatimite caliph Mo'izz, who transferred his capital from
Mahdia (q.v.) in the Maghrib to Cairo. This dynasty lasted till 1171,
when Egypt was again embodied in the Abbasid empire by Saladin, who,
however, was himself the founder of a quasi-independent dynasty called
the Ayyubites or Ayyubids, which lasted till 1252. The Ayyubites were
followed by the Mameluke dynasties, usually classified as Bahri from
1252-1382, and Burji from 1382-1517; these sovereigns were nominally
under the suzerainty of Abbasid caliphs, who were in reality instruments
of the Mameluke sultans, and resided at Cairo. In 1517 Egypt became part
of the Ottoman empire and was governed by pashas sent from
Constantinople, whose influence about 1707 gave way to that of officials
chosen from the Mamelukes who bore the title Sheik al-balad. After the
episode of the French occupation, government by pashas was restored;
Mehemet Ali (appointed pasha in 1805) obtained from the Porte in 1841
the right to bequeath the sovereignty to his descendants, one of whom,
Ismail Pasha, received the title Khedive, which is still held by Mehemet
Ali's descendants.

(2) The following is a list of the governors of Egypt in these
successive periods:--

(a) _During the undivided Caliphate._

'Amr-ibn-el-Ass, A.H. 18-24 (A.D. 639-645).
'Abdallah b. Sa'd b. Abi Sarh, 24-36 (645-656).
Qais b. Sa'd b. 'Ubadah, 36 (657-658).
Mahommed b. Abu Bekr, 37-38 (658).
Ashtar Malik b. al-Harith (appointed, but never governed).
'Amr-ibn-el-Ass, 38-43 (658-663).
'Utbah b. Abu Sofian, 43-44 (664-665).
'Utbah b. 'Amir, 44-45 (665