The History of the Patriarchs of Alexandria[1] is a major historical work of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. It is written in Arabic,[2] but draws extensively on Greek and Coptic sources.
| History of the Patriarchs of Alexandria | |
|---|---|
| Ta'rikh Batarikat al-Kanisah al-Misriyah | |
| Compiled by | e.g. Michael, bishop of Tinnis; Mawhub ibn Mansur ibn Mufarrig; Pope Mark III of Alexandria |
| Subject | Biographies of the Non-Chalcedonian Orthodox patriarchs of Egypt |
The compilation was based on earlier biographical sources. It was begun by Severus Ibn al-Muqaffaʿ, although one scholar contests its attribution to him.[3] It was continued by others including Michael, bishop of Tinnis (11th century, writing in Coptic, covering 880 to 1046), Mawhub ibn Mansur ibn Mufarrig, deacon of Alexandria, and Pope Mark III of Alexandria (for 1131 to 1167).
Description
editThe first half of the Arabic text known as the Ta'rikh Batarikat al-Kanisah al-Misriyah (transliterated Arabic) was edited and translated into English by Basil Thomas Alfred Evetts under the title History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic Church of Alexandria. The remainder was published by O.H.E.Burmester with English translation. This work presents a compilation of the history of the Patriarchs of the Coptic Church of Alexandria.
The earlier portions of the text are derived mainly from Eusebius and Coptic tradition. But from the 6th century onwards, the biographies grow longer and often seem to derive from documents written by eyewitnesses of the events recorded. The Muslim conquest of Egypt is recorded,[4] and a vivid eyewitness account included of the overthrow of the last Umayyad Caliph, Marwan II.
Severus also relates the famous miracle of moving the Mokattam Mountain during the ruling of the Fatimid Caliph Al-Muizz around 975 (as an eyewitness of that period). The complete text has since then been expanded with appendices and continuations running up to 1894. Indeed, one unpublished manuscript continues the text until 1923.
Evetts stopped with the 52nd Patriarch, Joseph, who died in 849. Subsequent material was published and translated by various scholars led by O. H. E. Burmester, in Cairo.
Translations
editIn 1713 Eusèbe Renaudot published the Latin translation Historia patriarcharum alexandrinorum jacobitarum. A scholarly Arabic edition was started by Christian Friedrich Seybold (1904).[5]
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ "Online edition preface". Archived from the original on 2009-09-28. Retrieved 2007-01-26.
- ^ Arabic title Tarikh Batarikat al-Kanisah al-Misriyah
- ^ Heijer, Johannes den (1996). "Coptic historiography in the Fatimid, Ayyubid and early Mamluk Periods". Medieval Encounters. 2: 67–98. doi:10.1163/157006796X00054.
- ^ Severus of Al'Ashmunein (Hermopolis), History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic church of Alexandria (1904) Part 2: Peter I - Benjamin I (661 AD). Patrologia Orientalis 1 pp. 383-518 (pp.119-256 of text)
- ^ In Corpus scriptorum christianorum orientalium, reprinted 1962.
References
edit- The History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic Orthodox Church to 849 AD
- Johannes Den Heijer (1989), Mawhub ibn Manṣǖr ibn Mufarrig et l'historiographie copto-arabe
Further reading
editEditions and translations
edit- Heijer, Johannes Den (1989). Mawhüb ibn Manṣǖr ibn Mufarriğ et l'historiographie copto-arabe: Étude sur la composition de l'Histoire des Patriarches d'Alexandrie. Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium, Subsidia 83. Louvain.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Khater, Antoine; O. H. E. KHS-Burmester, eds. (1974). History of the Patriarchs of the Egyptian Church, Known as the History of the Holy Church According to MS. Arabe 302 Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris. Textes et Documents. Vol. IV.1-2. Cairo.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Abd al-Masih, Yassa; O. H. E. Burmester; Aziz S. Atiya; Antoine Khater, eds. (1943–1970). History of the Patriarchs of the Egyptian Church, Known as the History of the Holy Church of Sawirus ibn al-Mukaffac, Bishop of al-Asmunin. Textes et Documents. Vol. II–III. Cairo.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Evetts, B., ed. (1906–15). History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic Church of Alexandria I-IV. Patrologia Orientalis, vol. I.2, I.4, V.1 and X.5. Paris.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) Parts are available online (see below).
External links
edit- Evetts' translation online: [1] at the Tertullian Project:
- Continuation online:
- Part 5 -- Khael II - Shenouti I (880) Archived 2010-11-14 at the Wayback Machine
- Part 6 -- Khael III - Shenouti II (1066) Archived 2010-11-13 at the Wayback Machine
- Part 7 -- Christodoulous - Michael IV (1102) Archived 2021-02-14 at the Wayback Machine
- Part 8 -- Macarius II - John V (1167) Archived 2010-11-13 at the Wayback Machine
- Part 9 -- Mark III - John VI (1216) Archived 2010-11-14 at the Wayback Machine
- Part 10 -- Cyril III - Cyril V (1894) Archived 2010-11-14 at the Wayback Machine
- Part 11 -- Cyril Ibn Laklak, part 1 Archived 2010-11-16 at the Wayback Machine
- Part 12 -- Cyril Ibn Laklak, part 2 Archived 2010-11-12 at the Wayback Machine
- Preface Archived 2007-07-03 at the Wayback Machine
- C. Detlef G. Müller (1995). "Severos (Sāwīros) ibn al-Muqaffaʿ (= Sohn des Eingeschrumpften), als Laie 'Abū Bišr ben al-Muqaffaʿ". In Bautz, Traugott (ed.). Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL) (in German). Vol. 9. Herzberg: Bautz. cols. 1515–1523. ISBN 3-88309-058-1.