641 CE
A year defined by the Arab conquest of Egypt, as Muslim forces under Amr ibn al-As defeated the Byzantines and brought one of the ancient world's richest provinces under Islamic rule.
Conflict & Security
- Arab forces under the command of Amr ibn al-As completed the conquest of Egypt, defeating Byzantine forces and capturing the fortress of Babylon near modern Cairo.
- The fall of Alexandria, the great center of Hellenistic learning and the second city of the Byzantine Empire, followed after negotiations, with the Byzantine garrison withdrawing by sea.
Geopolitics & Diplomacy
- The conquest of Egypt deprived the Byzantine Empire of its most important grain-producing province and a major source of tax revenue.
- Emperor Heraclius, who had spent his reign fighting to recover and then losing the eastern provinces, died in February, leaving the empire in crisis.
- Amr ibn al-As established the garrison city of Fustat near the Nile, which would later grow into the city of Cairo.
Climate & Environment
- Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration was approximately 277 parts per million, as later confirmed by ice core analysis.
Culture & Society
- The estimated world population was approximately 210 million.