in Egypt might be
strengthened, a colony of North Arabians (Qaisites) was sent for and
planted near Bilbeis, reaching the number of 3000 persons; this
immigration also restored the balance between the two branches of the
Arab race, as the first immigrants had belonged almost exclusively to
the South Arabian stock. Meanwhile the employment of the Arabic language
had been steadily gaining ground, and in 706 it was made the official
language of the bureaux, though the occasional use of Greek for this
purpose is attested by documents as late as the year 780. Other revolts
of the Copts are recorded for the year 739 and 750, the last year of
Omayyad domination. The outbreaks in all cases are attributed to
increased taxation.

The Abbasid period was marked at its commencement by the erection of a
new capital to the north of Fostat, bearing the name _'Askar_ or "camp."
Apparently at this time the practice of farming the taxes began, which
naturally led to even greater extortion than before; and a fresh rising
of the Copts is recorded for the fourth year of Abbasid rule. Governors,
as will be seen from the list, were frequently changed. The three
officials of importance whose nomination is mentioned by the historians
in addition to that of the governor were the commander of the bodyguard,
the minister of finance and the judge. Towards the beginning of the 3rd
Islamic century the practice of giving Egypt in fief to a governor was
resumed by the caliph Mamun, who bestowed this privilege on 'Abdallah b.
Tahir, who in 827 was sent to recover Alexandria, which for some ten
years had been held by exiles from Spain. 'Abdallah b. Tahir decided to
reside at Bagdad, sending a deputy to Egypt to govern for him; and this
example was afterwards followed. In 828, when Mamun's brother Motasim
was feudal lord, a violent insurrection broke out in the Hauf,
occasioned, as usual, by excessive taxation; it was partly quelled in
the next year by Motasim, who marched against the rebels with an army of
4000 Turks. The rebellion broke out repeatedly in the following years,
and in 831 the Copts joined with the Arabs against the government; the
state of affairs became so serious that the caliph Mamun himself visited
Egypt, arriving at Fostat in February 832; his general Afshin fought a
decisive battle with the rebels at Basharud in the Hauf region, at which
the Copts were compelled to surrender; the males were massacred and the
women and children sold a