nd Murad, who after a time succeeded in driving
Isma'il out of Egypt and establishing a joint rule (as Sheik al-Balad
and Amir al-Hajj respectively) similar to that which had been tried
previously. The two were soon involved in quarrels, which at one time
threatened to break out into open war; but this catastrophe was averted,
and the joint rule was maintained till 1786, when an expedition was sent
by the Porte to restore Ottoman supremacy in Egypt. Murad Bey attempted
to resist, but was easily defeated; and he with Ibrahim decided to fly
to Upper Egypt and await the trend of events. On the 1st of August 1782
the Turkish commander entered Cairo, and, after some violent measures
had been taken for the restoration of order, Isma'il Bey was again made
Sheik al-Balad and a new pasha installed as governor. In January 1791 a
terrible plague began to rage in Cairo and elsewhere in Egypt, to which
Isma'il Bey and most of his family fell victims. Owing to the need for
competent rulers Ibrahim and Murad Bey were sent for from Upper Egypt
and resumed their dual government. These two persons were still in
office when Bonaparte entered Egypt.

_Moslem Authorities._--Arabic literature being cosmopolitan, and
Arabic authors accustomed to travel from place to place to collect
traditions and obtain oral instruction from contemporary authorities,
or else to enjoy the patronage of Maecenates, the literary history of
Egypt cannot be dissociated from that of the other Moslem countries in
which Arabic was the chief literary vehicle. Hence the list of authors
connected with Egypt, which occupies pages 161-275 of Suyuti's work,
_Husn al-muhadarah fi akhbari Misr wal-Qahirah_ (Cairo, 1321 A.H.),
contains the names of persons like Mutanabbi, who stayed there for a
short time in the service of some patron; Abu Tammam, who lived there
before he acquired fame as a poet; 'Umara of Yemen, who came there at
a mature age to spend some years in the service of Fatimite viziers;
each of whom figures in lists of authors belonging to some other
country also. So long as the centre of the Islamic world was not in
Egypt, the best talent was attracted elsewhere; but after the fall of
Bagdad, Cairo became the chief seat of Islamic learning, and this
rank, chiefly owing to the university of Azhar, it has ever since
continued to maintain. The following composed special histories of
Egypt: Ibn 'Abd al-Hakam, d. 257 A.H.; 'Abd al