Egypten 10.9 :: Cairo – The Mother of the World
- Object description
After the Arab Conquest, a new capital called Fustat was established north of the pharaonic capital of Memphis.
For the Islamic Empire, Egypt was a vital link to the newly conquered North Africa. Fustat became the nucleus of a trading network that stretched from Europe to India.
In 969 a new city, al-Qahira (Cairo), was established slightly further north. This city grew rapidly and soon took over the role of Fustat as a center for trade and crafts.
Cairo retained its leading position as a trading hub and reputable scholastic city, even after the Ottoman Empire conquered Egypt in 1517.
Its mosques were important meeting places for people and ideas from faraway places. In the covered markets fabrics, perfumes, metals and spices changed hands.
Wealthy merchants lived in elegant multi-storey buildings with projecting bay windows and wooden mashrabiya screens that provided privacy.
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