History of the Patriarchs of Alexandria

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History of the Patriarchs of Alexandria
Compiled by Severus Ibn al-Muqaffaʿ
Language Coptic
SubjectBiographies of the Non-Chalcedonian Orthodox patriarchs of Egypt

The History of the Patriarchs of Alexandria is a major historical work of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. [1] It is the only continuous narrative on the history of the Non-Chalcedonian Alexandrian Patriarchate. It is written in Coptic, but draws extensively on older biographical Greek and Coptic sources. [2] It was ultimately compiled in the tenth century in Arabic by the Coptic bishop of Hermopolis, Severus Ibn al-Muqaffaʿ.

Contents

History

The earlier portions of the text are derived mainly from Eusebius and Coptic tradition. But from the 6th century onwards, the biographies grow longer and often seem to derive from documents written by eyewitnesses of the events recorded. The portion on the 6th century history of the Coptic patriarchs, as well as the Muslim conquest of Egypt, the biographies of Pope Benjamin I of Alexandria and his four successors until Pope Simeon I of Alexandria, are recorded by George the Archdeacon in the early eighth century. [3] [4] . A vivid eyewitness account of the overthrow of the last Umayyad Caliph, Marwan II, is also included.

In the tenth century, the Coptic bishop of Hermopolis, Severus Ibn al-Muqaffaʿ, compiled the book in Arabic. Severus also relates the famous miracle of moving the Mokattam Mountain during the ruling of the Fatimid Caliph Al-Muizz around 975 (as an eyewitness of that period).

It was subsequenrtly continued by others including Michael, bishop of Tinnis (11th century, writing in Coptic, covering 880 to 1046), Mawhub ibn Mansur ibn Mufarrig, deacon of Alexandria, and Pope Mark III of Alexandria (for 1131 to 1167). The complete text has since then been expanded with appendices and continuations running up to 1894. Indeed, one unpublished manuscript continues the text until 1923.

Translations

In 1713 Eusèbe Renaudot published the Latin translation Historia patriarcharum alexandrinorum jacobitarum. A scholarly Arabic edition was started by Christian Friedrich Seybold (1904). [5]

The first half of the Arabic text was edited and translated into English by Basil Thomas Alfred Evetts under the title History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic Church of Alexandria. The remainder was published by O.H.E.Burmester with English translation. This work presents a compilation of the history of the Patriarchs of the Coptic Church of Alexandria. Evetts stopped with the 52nd Patriarch, Joseph, who died in 849. Subsequent material was published and translated by various scholars led by O. H. E. Burmester, in Cairo.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ "Online edition preface". Archived from the original on 2009-09-28. Retrieved 2007-01-26.
  2. ↑ Bagnall, Roman Egypt - A History, pp. 314-315
  3. ↑ Bagnall, pp. 314-315
  4. ↑ Severus of Al'Ashmunein (Hermopolis), History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic church of Alexandria (1904) Part 2: Peter I - Benjamin I (661 AD). Patrologia Orientalis 1 pp. 383-518 (pp.119-256 of text)
  5. ↑ In Corpus scriptorum christianorum orientalium, reprinted 1962.

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References

Further reading

Editions and translations

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