The Conscription of Egyptian Christian Sailors in Medieval Muslim Naval Warfare: Taking the long view

Abstract

ABSTRACTNon-Muslims were pivotal in the rise and development of the medieval Islamic Empire. Coptic Christians made significant contributions in various arenas. Arab Muslims, who had no understanding of naval warfare, relied heavily on the Egyptian maritime technology and Coptic laborers. Using the rich documentary corpus from early Islamic Egypt, this article examines the untold story of these Coptic skilled craftsmen, namely carpenters, caulkers, navigators, sailors, and oarsmen, who were involved in building the Muslim navy.