Islamic Egypt

As part of the rise of the new religion of Islam in Western Asia, the Arabs established a new empire centered on Syria. They soon conquered Egypt as well, so that just as under the Assyrians and then the Persians, Egypt came under the rule of West Asia. Gradually most Egyptians converted from Christianity to Islam, and learned to speak Arabic (the remaining Christians in Egypt are called Copts). A new capital was established in the north at Cairo (KYE-row).

For a while around 1000-1300 AD, the Egyptians became independent of Asia under the Shiite Fatimid dynasty. This was a time of great achievements in Egypt. But then they were conquered by the Sunni Ayyubids, and then the Mamluks. Around 1500, Egypt became part of the Islamic Ottoman Empire, which held Egypt until modern times.

Old Kingdom
(2686-2160 BC)

First Intermediate Period
(2160-2040 BC)

Middle Kingdom
(2040-1633 BC)

Second Intermediate Period
(1786-1558 BC)

New Kingdom
(1558-1085 BC)

Third Intermediate Period
(1085-525 BC)

Persian rule
(525-332 BC)

Greek rule
(332-30 BC) (also called the Hellenistic)

Roman rule
(30 BC-700 AD)

Islamic rule
(700 AD to present)