John of Nikiû
Encyclopedia
John of Nikiû was an Egyptian
Copt
ic bishop of Nikiû/Pashati in the Nile Delta
and appointed general administrator of the monasteries of Upper Egypt
in 696. He was author of a Chronicle extending from Adam
to the end of the Muslim conquest of Egypt
which contains important historical details otherwise unknown.
According to the History of the Patriarchs by Severus
, Bishop of Al-Ashmunyn (Heliopolis
), John of Nikiû lived under the Patriarchs John of Semnûd
, Isaac
, and Simeon
. But when John disciplined a monk guilty of some moral offence so severely that the monk died ten days later, the Patriarch Simeon removed John from his office.
John of Nikiû's Chronicle was originally written mostly in Greek
except possibly some of the chapters concerning Egypt which may have been written in Coptic to judge from the forms of the names. The work only survives in an Ethiopian translation made in 1602 of an Arabic translation of the original. The text is in parts obviously corrupted with unfortunate accidental omissions. Most notably, a passage covering 30 years from 610 to 640 are missing.
The Chronicle is most noteworthy for its passages dealing with the early 7th century. John covers in detail the revolt of the Thracian armies in 602 and the subsequent overthrow of the Emperor Maurice
by the usurper Phocas
. His account adds considerably to our knowledge of the reign of Phocas and particularly to the successful revolt against him begun at Carthage
by Heraclius
. Unfortunately, the section dealing with the climactic Persian wars waged by Heraclius is not extant.
Perhaps the most important section of John's Chronicle is that which deals with the invasion and conquest of Egypt by the Muslim armies of Amr ibn al-Aas. Though probably not an eye-witness, John was most likely of the generation immediately following the conquest and is the only near-contemporary account. John describes the major events of Amr's campaign, such as the taking of the Roman fortress at Babylon and the capture of Alexandria. Though his details are often vivid, his timeline is occasionally confusing.
John credits the Muslims for not destroying Christian holy places, but he also records the numerous atrocities committed against the Egyptians and the enormous new taxes placed on the native population. In some cases, the taxes were so burdensome that families were forced to sell their children into slavery to pay them. John also does not fail to mention in harsh terms the numerous Egyptians who abandoned Christianity in favor of Islam.
Writing from a Monophysite point of view—at odds with the Christian faith affirmed at the Council of Chalcedon
in 451—John describes the Islamic invasion of his homeland as divine punishment for the Chalcedonian heresy which held sway in the Roman Empire. At the close of his Chronicle John describes the despair felt by the conquered Alexandrians, writing: "None could recount the mourning and lamentation which took place in that city....And they had none to help them, and God destroyed their hopes and delivered the Christians into the hands of their enemies."
Egyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...
Copt
Copt
The Copts are the native Egyptian Christians , a major ethnoreligious group in Egypt....
ic bishop of Nikiû/Pashati in the Nile Delta
Nile Delta
The Nile Delta is the delta formed in Northern Egypt where the Nile River spreads out and drains into the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of the world's largest river deltas—from Alexandria in the west to Port Said in the east, it covers some 240 km of Mediterranean coastline—and is a rich...
and appointed general administrator of the monasteries of Upper Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
in 696. He was author of a Chronicle extending from Adam
Adam and Eve
Adam and Eve were, according to the Genesis creation narratives, the first human couple to inhabit Earth, created by YHWH, the God of the ancient Hebrews...
to the end of the Muslim conquest of Egypt
Muslim conquest of Egypt
At the commencement of the Muslims conquest of Egypt, Egypt was part of the Byzantine Empire with its capital in Constantinople. However, it had been occupied just a decade before by the Persian Empire under Khosrau II...
which contains important historical details otherwise unknown.
According to the History of the Patriarchs by Severus
Severus Ibn al-Muqaffa
Severus ibn al-Muqaffaʿ or Severus of El Ashmunein was a Coptic Bishop, author and historian. In Arabic, his name is spelled Sawires ساويرس. Severus is sometimes confused with Abdullah Ibn al-Muqaffa.He was bishop of Hermopolis Magna , in Upper Egypt, around the end of the tenth century...
, Bishop of Al-Ashmunyn (Heliopolis
Heliopolis (ancient)
Heliopolis was one of the oldest cities of ancient Egypt, the capital of the 13th Lower Egyptian nome that was located five miles east of the Nile to the north of the apex of the Nile Delta...
), John of Nikiû lived under the Patriarchs John of Semnûd
Pope John III of Alexandria
Pope John III of Alexandria was the 40th Coptic Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark .He was originally from Samanoud a city in the North of Egypt, hence also known as Pope John III Of Samanoud....
, Isaac
Pope Isaac of Alexandria
Pope Isaac of Alexandria was the Coptic Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark from 689 to 692. He is commemorated in the Coptic Synaxarion on the 9th day of Hathor....
, and Simeon
Pope Simeon of Alexandria
Pope Simeon I of Alexandria was the Coptic Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark from 692 to 700.The first pope elected from among the Syrians to the See of St. Mark was Pope Simeon, 42nd Pope of Alexandria .42 He was a monk in the Pateron Monastery...
. But when John disciplined a monk guilty of some moral offence so severely that the monk died ten days later, the Patriarch Simeon removed John from his office.
John of Nikiû's Chronicle was originally written mostly in Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
except possibly some of the chapters concerning Egypt which may have been written in Coptic to judge from the forms of the names. The work only survives in an Ethiopian translation made in 1602 of an Arabic translation of the original. The text is in parts obviously corrupted with unfortunate accidental omissions. Most notably, a passage covering 30 years from 610 to 640 are missing.
The Chronicle is most noteworthy for its passages dealing with the early 7th century. John covers in detail the revolt of the Thracian armies in 602 and the subsequent overthrow of the Emperor Maurice
Maurice (emperor)
Maurice was Byzantine Emperor from 582 to 602.A prominent general in his youth, Maurice fought with success against the Sassanid Persians...
by the usurper Phocas
Phocas
Phocas was Byzantine Emperor from 602 to 610. He usurped the throne from the Emperor Maurice, and was himself overthrown by Heraclius after losing a civil war.-Origins:...
. His account adds considerably to our knowledge of the reign of Phocas and particularly to the successful revolt against him begun at Carthage
Carthage
Carthage , implying it was a 'new Tyre') is a major urban centre that has existed for nearly 3,000 years on the Gulf of Tunis, developing from a Phoenician colony of the 1st millennium BC...
by Heraclius
Heraclius
Heraclius was Byzantine Emperor from 610 to 641.He was responsible for introducing Greek as the empire's official language. His rise to power began in 608, when he and his father, Heraclius the Elder, the exarch of Africa, successfully led a revolt against the unpopular usurper Phocas.Heraclius'...
. Unfortunately, the section dealing with the climactic Persian wars waged by Heraclius is not extant.
Perhaps the most important section of John's Chronicle is that which deals with the invasion and conquest of Egypt by the Muslim armies of Amr ibn al-Aas. Though probably not an eye-witness, John was most likely of the generation immediately following the conquest and is the only near-contemporary account. John describes the major events of Amr's campaign, such as the taking of the Roman fortress at Babylon and the capture of Alexandria. Though his details are often vivid, his timeline is occasionally confusing.
John credits the Muslims for not destroying Christian holy places, but he also records the numerous atrocities committed against the Egyptians and the enormous new taxes placed on the native population. In some cases, the taxes were so burdensome that families were forced to sell their children into slavery to pay them. John also does not fail to mention in harsh terms the numerous Egyptians who abandoned Christianity in favor of Islam.
Writing from a Monophysite point of view—at odds with the Christian faith affirmed at the Council of Chalcedon
Council of Chalcedon
The Council of Chalcedon was a church council held from 8 October to 1 November, 451 AD, at Chalcedon , on the Asian side of the Bosporus. The council marked a significant turning point in the Christological debates that led to the separation of the church of the Eastern Roman Empire in the 5th...
in 451—John describes the Islamic invasion of his homeland as divine punishment for the Chalcedonian heresy which held sway in the Roman Empire. At the close of his Chronicle John describes the despair felt by the conquered Alexandrians, writing: "None could recount the mourning and lamentation which took place in that city....And they had none to help them, and God destroyed their hopes and delivered the Christians into the hands of their enemies."
External links
- The Chronicle of John, Bishop of Nikiu, trans. by R. H. Charles (The Text and Translation Society, Oxford University Press, 1916)
- Tertullian.org: Introduction and English translation.
- Early Christian Writings: Introduction and English translation.
- Catholic Encyclopedia: John of Nikiû