PREFACE

which enable us to piece together a fairly connected narrative. It

is clear that the Northern Sudan was subject to the Khalifas and

their representatives in Egypt, and that its rulers were compelled

by them to pay the " Bakt," or annual tribute of slaves. It is

equally clear, however, that the native Christian Church made a

persistent and gallant stand against Islam, and that Christianity

flourished in the country from the First Cataract to Soba on the

Blue Nile. The testimony of Muhammadan writers proves that

there were hundreds of churches in the country between these

limits, and we know from other sources that many of them were

fine buildings, the walls of which were decorated with painted

figures of saints, &c. The form of belief which the Sudan

Christians professed was that of Alexandria, i.e., Jacobite, and the

Liturgy was recited in Greek, and we may assume that the chief members of the clergy came from the Mother Church in Alex-

andria. In the thirteenth century, however, troubles came on the

native church, and, in proportion as the power and influence of

Islam grew and spread, Christianity declined. Little by little

mosques appeared in the towns and villages, and as the Patriarchs

of Alexandria were unable to assist the Sudan Church in stem- ming the flood of Muhammadanism which was sweeping over the

land, the clergy lost their hold upon the people, many of whom,

both voluntarily and under compulsion, rejected Christianity and became followers of the Prophet. The southern portion of the

Christian kingdom of the Siidan, that of 'Aiwa, came to an end

towards the close of the fifteenth century, and by the time Selim

conquered Egypt in 1517, the altars of Christ had been profaned or

overthrown, and the churches were forsaken buildings. When the

Arabs entered the Western Sudan from Tunis, and the Eastern Sudan from Masawa, and the Northern Siidan via Egypt, Islam

finally prevailed over Christianity, and, from about the year 1520

to the present time, the population of the whole Siidan has con-

sisted practically of Muhammadans and Pagans.

With the facts at present available it is impossible to write a

connected history of the country between 1520 and 1820, but we know that during this period Sultans ruled in Dar Fur, " Meks,"

or "Chiefs," in Shendi, Albanians in Nubia, and lines of heredi-

tary tribal Shekhs in other parts of the SM4n. These waged

X