Giorgios I.

Giorgios I was a king of the Christian Nubian kingdom of Makuria , who ruled before 887 (probably 856-866).

Giorgios I was the son of Zacharias I. As a young man, his father sent him on a mission to Baghdad in order to negotiate overdue tributes that the Nubians should have paid. The outcome of the trip is unknown, but it was probably successful.

During the reign of Giorgios I there was fighting between the Bedscha , the Arabs and their leader el-Omari in neighboring Upper Egypt . Since the Nubians were in some way involved in the fighting, el-Omari seized the opportunity and sacked various places in Lower Nubia.

A little later there was further hostilities when el-Omari was looking for gold in the desert and some of his people were killed by the Nubians in the process. The Arab leader again attacked Nubian places, whereupon Giorgios I sent his nephew Nyuti. This made peace with el-Omari and now turned against Giorgios I, who then ordered his son Zacharias against Nyuti. El-Omari then took the side of Giorgios I, who won him over with money and the promise that he could later have Nyuti's wife. Thus strengthened, Zacharias was able to defeat Nyuti in the fight and then turned with his army against el-Omari, who could not be defeated and for several years held parts of Lower Nubia.

In Alt Dunqula the ruler is also mentioned on a grave stele dated 887 of his official Tetrachros Mariankouda.

See also

• List of the Nubian kings

literature

• Derek A. Welsby : The Medieval Kingdoms of Nubia . London 2002, pp. 73-74, ISBN 0-7141-1947-4
• Julie R. Anderson / Adam Lajtar: Stela of Mariankouda . In: Derek A. Welsby / Julie R. Anderson (eds.): Sudan, Ancient Treasurers . British Museum Press, London 2004, pp. 307, no.318 .