Nearly 50 years later Nubia was the scene of a filibustering expedition on a large scale. A.D. 878.One Abu Abdelrahman “el Omari,” hearing of the ancient gold mines in the Eastern Desert, equipped a party to work them. He found a great deal of gold, but being obstructed by the local Arabs, he gradually pushed his way to Shankir, south of Dongola, and with his increased following attacked the Nubians under King George and beat them. His subsequent adventures read like a romance, A.D. 880.but he was eventually driven out and murdered.
A.D. 950.In the following century the Christian kingdoms gradually became strong enough to resist the Arabs, and on occasions they even invaded Upper Egypt. A.D. 956.In A.D. 956 the Nubians seized Aswan, but were cut off by a flanking movement instituted from the Red Sea, by the Moslem General Kafur, and lost Deir Ibrahim, a stronghold 136 miles south of Aswan.
A.D. 967.Eleven years later, however, they again invaded Egypt and recovered their country as far as Akhmim.
A.D. 969.Two years afterwards Johar, a Greek renegade general of the Khalif Moiz, seeing the necessity of guarding his southern frontier, sent an embassy to the then King of Nubia (another George), inviting him to embrace Islam and pay his tribute as of old. The chief ambassador was one Ahmed ibn Solaim, and the account he writes of the Sudan in those days is exceedingly interesting.
He describes the province which extended from 6 miles south of Aswan to Halfa as well-watered, carefully cultivated and abounding in vineyards. Beyond this no Moslems were allowed inside Nubia on pain of death. Between the 2nd and 3rd Cataract was a terrible desert, from which, however, precious jewel-polishing stones were obtained (?). Beyond this lay the kingdom of Makorra, with capital at Dongola, and south of this was the Kingdom of Alwa, which was stronger and more fertile, but did not produce so many vines and palms as Makorra. Both kingdoms he describes as being amazingly fertile in herds and crops, far more so than Egypt (!).
He arrived at Suia (Soba), capital of Alwa, which was situated at the confluence of the Blue and White Niles, and, besides noting the excellence of their camels, horses, meat and beer, states that the town was “adorned with magnificent buildings, great houses, churches enriched with gold, and gardens. The King also wears a crown of gold, for this metal is very abundant in his dominions.” Amongst other things he remarks that the Christians belonged to the Jacobite Church of Egypt, and that their books, originally written in Greek, had been translated into their own language. He also refers to a road leading from Shankir to Suakin.
THE LAMB IN THE PALACE GARDEN AT KHARTOUM. (Brought from Soba.)
Ibn Solaim’s mission met with every courtesy but no success, and his report convinced Johar that he would act wisely in leaving Nubia severely alone.
A.D. 1092.In A.D. 1092 the Kings of Ethiopia and Nubia were so powerful that the Moslems of Egypt feared to persecute the Christians; A.D. 1172.but 80 years later the Nubians were conquered by the brother of Saladin and forcibly converted to Mohammedanism.