Moses Georgios of Makuria
| Moses Georgios Μώσες Γεωργίου | |
|---|---|
| King of Makuria and Alodia | |
 Mural from Faras Cathedral depicting King Moses Georgios | |
| King of Makuria | |
| Reign | 1155–1190 |
| Predecessor | Georgios IV |
| Born | Dongola, Nubia |
| Religion | Coptic Orthodox Christianity |
Moses Georgios (Ancient Greek: Μώσες Γεωργίου) was ruler of the Nubian kingdom of Makuria. During his reign it is believed that the crown of Alodia was also under the control of Makuria.[1] He is mostly known for his conflict with Saladin.
Life and reign
[edit]
In 1171, the Ayyubids overthrew the Fatimid Caliphate, whose capital was Cairo.[2] This brought Makuria and the Ayyubids into conflict with each other. The following year,[3] a Makurian army pillaged Aswan and advanced even further north. It is not clear if this campaign was intended to aid the Fatimids or was merely a raid[2] exploiting the unstable situation in Egypt,[4] although the latter seems more likely, as the Makurians apparently soon withdrew.[5]
To deal with the Nubians, Saladin sent his brother Turan-Shah. The latter conquered Qasr Ibrim in January 1173,[6] reportedly sacking it, taking many prisoners, pillaging the church, and converting it into a mosque.[7] Afterward, he sent an emissary to King Moses Georgios,[8] intending to answer a previously requested peace treaty with a pair of arrows.[9]
Moses Georgios was a man confident in his ability to resist the Ayyubid army, stamping with hot iron a cross on the emissary's hand.[8] Turan-Shah withdrew from Nubia but left a detachment of Kurdish troops in Qasr Ibrim, which would raid Lower Nubia for the next two years. Archaeological evidence links them with the destruction of the Faras Cathedral,[10] the Central Church of Abdallah Nirqi,[11] and Debeira West.[citation needed]
In 1175, a Nubian army finally arrived to confront the invaders at Adindan. Before battle, however, the Kurdish commander Ibrahim al-Kurdi drowned while crossing the Nile, resulting in the retreat of Saladin's troops out of Nubia.[10] Afterwards, there was peace for another 100 years in which Georgios had independence over Nubia while Aswan was reoccupied by the Ayyubids and a garrison of Kurdish soldiers was stationed there.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ Lajtar 2009, pp. 93–94.
- ^ a b c Adams 1977, p. 456.
- ^ Welsby 2002, p. 75.
- ^ Plumley 1983, p. 162.
- ^ Ruffini 2012, pp. 249–250.
- ^ Werner 2013, p. 113.
- ^ Plumley 1983, pp. 162–163.
- ^ a b Ruffini 2012, p. 248.
- ^ Welsby 2002, p. 76.
- ^ a b Plumley 1983, p. 164.
- ^ Welsby 2002, p. 124.
Sources
[edit]- Adams, William Y. (1977). Nubia: Corridor to Africa. Princeton: Princeton University. ISBN 978-0-7139-0579-3.
- Lajtar, Adam (2009). "Varia Nubica XII-XIX" (PDF). The Journal of Juristic Papyrology (in German). XXXIX: 83–119. ISSN 0075-4277.
- Plumley, J. Martin (1983). "Qasr Ibrim and Islam". Études et Travaux. XII: 157–170.
- Ruffini, Giovanni R. (2012). Medieval Nubia. A Social and Economic History. Oxford University.
- Welsby, Derek (2002). The Medieval Kingdoms of Nubia. Pagans, Christians and Muslims along the Middle Nile. The British Museum. ISBN 0714119474.
- Werner, Roland (2013). Das Christentum in Nubien. Geschichte und Gestalt einer afrikanischen Kirche. Lit.