Pachomius organizes in Egypt the first community of Christian monks, at Dandara on the Nile

The Cushite dynasty fades away in Nubia, after lasting for 1000 years or more

A document is distributed by the bishop of Alexandria, formally establishing the contents of the New Testament

The Codex Sinaiticus, the earliest surviving manuscript of the complete New Testament, is copied out - probably in Egypt

The unopposed capture of Alexandria by the Arabs completes the Muslim conquest of Egypt

The Coptic Christians of Egypt become isolated after the Muslim conquest

The Venetians, acquiring from Alexandria some bones believed to be those of St Mark, build St Mark's to house the valuable relic

Ahmad ibn Tulun, a Mameluke, seizes power in Egypt - establishing his own Tulunid dynasty

The Fatimids establish a new capital city on the Nile, calling it Al Kahira ('the victorious'), which becomes reduced to Cairo

Saladin deposes the Fatimid caliph and brings Egypt back to orthodoxy, acknowledging the rule of the Sunni caliph in Baghdad

In Cairo the Jewish philosoper Moses Maimonides writes, in Arabic, a much translated text with the endearing title Guide to the Perplexed

St Francis of Assisi joins a crusading army in Egypt and attempts to convert the sultan Melek-el-Kamel and his followers to Christianity

The last sultan of Saladin's dynasty is murdered by slaves in the palace guard, and Mameluke rule is reintroduced in Egypt

At Ayn Jalut, near Nazareth, the Egyptian Mamelukes defeat the Mongol army of Hulagu - the first military setback for the Mongols

The new Mameluke dynasty in Egypt begins a systematic campaign to drive the Crusaders out of the Middle East

The Assassins are systematically destroyed by Baybars, the Mameluke sultan of Egypt

Mansa Musa, sultan of the gold-rich African state of Mali, is so lavish in Cairo (on his way to Mecca) that the value of Egyptian gold slumps

The Ottoman sultan, Selim I, captures Cairo and ends Mameluke rule in the middle east

From Bosnia to Egypt and Arabia, the Ottoman Turks now rule the largest Muslim empire since the early caliphate - and will frequently use the title of caliph to assert their authority within Sunni Islam

Napoleon, with distinguished scientists in his fleet, sails to invade Egypt

Napoleon's campaign in Egypt begins well with the Battle of the Pyramids, a victory over an Egyptian army

Disaster strikes the French in Egypt when Nelson finds their fleet in Aboukir Bay and destroys it in the Battle of the Nile

Napoleon's soldiers discover a black basalt slab, the Rosetta Stone, near the village of Rashid in Egypt

Napoleon abandons his army in Egypt and returns hastily to Paris at a time of great political opportunity

English collector Thomas Hope publishes his Greek and Egyptian designs in Household Furniture and Interior Decoration