Coptic Identity and Ayyubid Politics in Egypt, 1218–1250

Using The Life And Writings Of Cyril Iii Ibn Laqlaq, 75th Patriarch Of The Coptic Orthodox Church, Along With A Variety Of Christian And Muslim Chroniclers, This Study Explores The Identity And Context Of The Christian Community Of Egypt And Its Relations With The Leadership Of The Ayyubid Dynasty In The Early Thirteenth Century. Kurt Werthmuller Introduces New Scholarship That Illuminates The Varied Relationships Between Medieval Christians Of Egypt And Their Muslim Neighbors. Demonstrating That The Coptic Community Was Neither Passive Nor Static, The Author Discusses The Active Role Played By The Copts In The Formation And Evolution Of Their Own Identity Within The Wider Political And Societal Context Of This Period. In Particular, He Examines The Boundaries Between Copts And The Wider Egyptian Society In The Ayyubid Period In Three 'in-between Spaces': Patriarchal Authority, Religious Conversion, And Monasticism.--jacket. Introduction --- 1. Approaching Non-muslim Identities In Islamic History -- 2. State, Society, And The Copts Under The Fatimids, Ayyubids, And Bahri Mamluks, 969-1382 Ce -- 3. Patriarchal Authority -- 4. The Politics Of Conversion And Apostasy -- 5. Monks And Monasticism --- Conclusion --- Appendixes I And Ii. Kurt J. Werthmuller. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 175-182) And Index. Source Texts In Arabic With English Translation Following. Following the death in 1216 BCE of the Egyptian Coptic patriarch Yuhanna ibn Abi Ghalib, a priest by the name of Daud ibn Yuhanna ibn Laqlaq petitioned the Muslim Ayyubid state authorities to be appointed the patriarch of the Coptic Christian church in Egypt, only to be stymied in these efforts by Coptic protests against Ibn Laqlaq and Ayyubid meddling in Coptic affairs, leaving the position of patriarch empty for 19 years until the eventual accession of Ibn Laqlaq, who reigned for eight controversial years as Cyril III. Werthmuller (history, Azusa Pacific U.) explores these events as a window into the forces that shaped Coptic communal identity under the Ayyubid dynasty. While the Copts certainly played an active role in shaping the boundaries of their own identity, these boundaries were constantly redefined by the situational politics and personal idiosyncrasies of the Muslim leadership. He structures his discussion around a series of letters sent by Cyril III to his constituent community concerning the extension of the authority of the patriarchate beyond the boundaries of Egypt, the issues of Coptic converts from Islam, and the role of monasticism in Coptic identity. Distributed in the US by International Publishers Marketing (IPM). Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)