Ethiopian kingdom remains linked with Coptic patriarchate; metropolitan chosen by patriarch of Alexandria;

Anastasius, patriarch of Alexandria.

Lengthy reign of Heraclius the younger, emperor of the Christian orient, who asserts Byzantine interests in Egypt.

Andronicus, patriarch of Alexandria.

Persian occupation of Egypt ends Byzantine Rule.

Monothelite controversy.

The Hejira, Muhammad’s flight from Mecca to Medina, begins Islamic era; first year in Muslim calendar, 1 A. H. = Anno Hegirae.

Benjamin I, patriarch of Alexandria, author of Easter Epistles and Homily on Cana Wedding, spends ten years in exile under Heraclius and three under the Muslims.

Muhammad begins dictating Qur’an to scribe.

Maximus the Confessor residing in Africa as refugee from Palestine due to Persian invasion, was tried, tortured, and died in exile in 662; writes on forced baptism at Carthage in 632.

Byzantine recovery of Egypt.

Death of Stephen of Alexandria, philosopher-alchemist-astronomer.

Emperor Heraclius sends Cyrus as pro-Chalcedonian patriarch of Alexandria, and governor of Egypt, attempting to bring Copts into Melkite church.

Death of Muhammad at Medina; Caliph Abu Bakr begins conquest of Palestine.

Church of Saints Cyrus and John first built in Babylon, Old Cairo (now St. Barbara.)

Ps.-Shenute’s Vision, prophesies calamities; falsely attributed to Shenute of Atripe.

Expansion of Islam, Palestine, Syria and Egypt, where majority populations of Jews and Christians lived, come under Arab domination.

Arab Conquest of Egypt begins with fall of Pelusium.

Coptic Homily on the Child Saints of Babylon (anon.)

Fall of Fort Babylon, Old Cairo, to Arabs.

Fall of Alexandria; destruction of library of Alexandria witnessed by John of Nikiu, author of universal history, Chronicle, that survived only in Ethiopic—key source for Arab conquest and end of Byzantine rule in Egypt.

Arabs burn cathedral of St. Mark in Alexandria.

Irish ornamentation characterized by interlacing motif found frequently in Coptic art; Coptic influence spreads through monks who copied in the scriptoria.

Christian Nubians and Arabs in Egypt agree that Aswan on Nile should mark southern limit of
Arab expansion.

Agathon, patriarch of Alexandria during Arab conquest; ransomed captive slaves;
authored Panegyric on Benjamin.  

Third Council of Constantinople, Sixth ecumenical Council, begun under Constantine IV,
completed by the synod in Trullo (692) under Justinian II, condems monothelism and monoenergism, confirming that in Christ are two inseparable wills and two inseparable energies, reemphasizing Chalcedonian Christology.

John III (John of Samanud), patriarch of Alexandria, answers Questions of Theodore.

Coptic Life of Isaac of Rakoti, patriarch of Alexandria.

Isaac, patriarch of Alexandria; Menas, Bishop of Nikiu, writes Life of Patriarch Isaac.

Coptic eschatology amid Arab rule: Ps.-Athanasius, Apocalypse.

Simon I, patriarch of Alexandria.

Menas, monk of Akhmim, remained at Ashmunayn monastery until captured by Arabs; martyred.