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DATES AND SUCCESSION OF PATRIARCHS

Significant dates in the lives of notable persons from the past, particularly from the ancient past, are often a matter of conjecture. In some cases a paucity of historical source material makes it impossible to determine when particular events took place, and in other instances discrepancies in the sources that are extant make such a determination frustratingly tenuous. Since such uncertainty is a feature of the biographical data available for many of the Coptic patriarchs, the following list can give only the approximate dates for some of these leaders. For the period up to 1243 the table relies solely on the History of the Patriarchs compiled by Sawirus ibn al- Muqaffa‘. Supplementary sections of subsequent writers and editors provide the dates for the remaining patriarchs.

Writers following other sources will give dates for some of the patriarchs that vary slightly from those listed below. Thus, some discrepancy in patriarchs’ dates may be found within The Coptic Encyclopedia.

In the list below the provenance of each patriarch has been designated in a separate column, and the rulers of Egypt during each patriarchal reign have been listed in another column. The list has been classified into sections representing the main historical periods:

Greco-Roman and Byzantine, medieval Arab, modern, and contemporary. Full biographies of all patriarchs have been included in the body of our alphabetized text, save in the case of the present patriarch, whose dates are recorded but whose life critique has to be deferred until after the end of his tenure for an objective evaluation of his total work and service.

Greco-Roman and Byzantine Period

1.	Mark	43-68	Alexandria	Nero	54-68
2.	Anianus	68-85	Alexandria	Nero Galba Otho	54-68 68-69 69
				Vitellius Vespasian Titus Domitian	69 69-79 79-81 81-96
3.	Abilius	85-98	Alexandria	Domitian	81-96
4. 5.	Cerdon Primus	98-109 109-122	Alexandria unknown	Nerva Trajan Trajan	96-98 98-117 98-117
6.	Justus	122-130	unknown	Hadrian	117-138
7. 8.	Eumenius Marcianus	130-142 143-154	unknown unknown	Hadrian Antonius Pius Antonius Pius	117-138 138-161 138-161
9.	Celadion	157-167	unknown	Antonius Pius	138-161
10. 11.	Agrippinus Julian	167-180 180-189	unknown unknown	Marcus Aurelius Marcus	161-180 161-180
				Aurelius Commodus	180-192
12.	Demetrius I	189-231	unknown	Commodus Pertinax	180-192 193
				Didius	193
				Julianus Septimius Severus Caracalla	193-211 211-217
				Marcinus Heliogabalus Alexander Severus	217-218 218-222 222-235
13.	Heraclas	231-247	unknown	Alexander Severus Maximinus	222-235 235-238
				Bulbinus and Pupienus Gordianus III	238 238-244
14.	Dionysius	247-264	unknown	Philippus Philippus	244-249 244-249
15.	Maximus	264-282	unknown	Decius Gallus Valerianus Gallienus Gallienus	249-251 251-253 253-260 260-268 260-268

Claudius II Aurelianus

268-270

270-275

16.

Theonas

282-300

unknown

Tacitus

Florianus Probus Carus

275-276

276

276-282

282-283

17.

Peter I

300-311

unknown

Numerianus

Diocletian

283-284

284-305

Galerius

305-310

18.

19.

Achillas

Alexander I

311-312

312-326

unknown

Galerius

Licinius

305-310

308-324

20.

Athanasius I

326-373

unknown

Constantine I

306-337

Constantius II

Julian

Jovian

337-361

361-363

363-364

21.

Peter II

373-380

unknown

Valens

364-378

22.

Timothy I

380-385

unknown

Gratian

Valentinian II Theodosius

375-383

375-392

379-395

23.

24.

Theophilus

Cyril I

385-412

412-444

unknown

Anba Maqar

Theodosius

Arcadius Theodosius II Theodosius II

379-395

395-408

408-450

25.

26.

Dioscorus I

Timothy Aelurus

444-458

458-480

unknown

Theodosius II

Marcian

408-450

450-457

II “The Cat”

Leo I

457-474

27.

Peter III

480-488

unknown

Zeno

474-491

(Mongus)

28.

29.

Athanasius II

John I

488-494

494-503

unknown

Anba Maqar

Zeno

Anastasius

474-491

491-518

30.

John II

503-515

al-Zujaj (Enaton)

Anastasius

491-518

31.

32.

Dioscorus II

Timothy III

515-517

517-535

unknown

Anastasius

Justin I Justin I

491-518

518-527

Justinian

527-565

33.

34.

Theodosius I

Peter IV

535-567

567-569

al-Zujaj (Enaton)

Justinian

Justin II Justin II

527-565

565-578

35.

Damian

569-605

Tabur

Abu Yuhannis

Justin II

Tiberius II

565-578

578-582

Maurice

Phocas

582-602

602-610

36.

37.

Anastasius

Andronicus

605-616

616-622

unknown

Phocas

Heraclius

602-610

610-634

Medieval Arab Period

38.

Benjamin I

622-661

Qibriyus

Heraclius

‘Umar

610-634

634-644

39.

Agathon

661-677

Alexandria

‘Uthman

‘Ali

al-Hasan b. ‘Ali Mu‘awiyah I Mu‘awiyah I

644-656

656-661

661

661-681

40.

John III

677-686

Anba Maqar

Yazid I

Muawiyah II Marwan I

680-683

683

684-685

41.

Isaac

686-689

Anba Maqar

‘Abd-al-Malik

685-705

42.

43.

Simon I

Alexander II

689-701

705-730

al-Zujaj

(Enaton)

al-Zujaj

‘Abd-al-Malik

685-705

(Enaton)

al-Walid ibn ‘Abd

705-715

al-Malik

Sulayman

715-717

‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-

Aziz

Yazid II

717-720

720-724

44.

Cosmas I

730-731

Anba Maqar

Hisham

724-743

45.

46.

Theodorus

Kha’il I

731-743

744-767

Tamnurah

(Mareotis) Anba Maqar

Hisham

al-Walid ibn Yazid

724-743

743-744

Yazid III

744

47.

Mina I

767-774

Anba Maqar

Ibrahim

Marwan II al-Saffah al-Mansur al-Mansur

744

744-750

750-754

754-775

48.

John IV

775-799

Anba Maqar

al-Mahdi

775-785

49.

Mark II

799-819

Anba Maqar

al-Hadi

Harun al-Rashid

785-786

786-809

al-Amin

al-Ma’mun

809-813

813-833

50.

Jacob

819-830

Anba Maqar

al-Ma’mun

813-833

51.

Simon II

830

Anba Maqar

al-Ma’mun

813-833

52.

53.

Yusab I

Kha’il II

830-849

849-851

Anba Maqar

Abu

al-Ma’mun

al-Mu‘tasim al-Wathiq

al-Mutawakkil al-Mutawakkil

813-833

833-842

842-847

847-861

54.

Cosmas II

851-858

Yuhannis

Anba Maqar

al-Mutawakkil

847-861

55.

Shenute I

858-880

Anba Maqar

al-Mutawakkil

847-861

56.

Kha’il III

880-907

Anba Maqar

al-Muntasir

al-Musta‘in al-Mu‘tazz al-Muhtadi

Ahmad ibn Tulun

861-862

862-866

866-869

869-870

870-884

Khumarawayh

Jaysh ibn

884-896

896

Khumarawayh

Harun ibn Khumarawayh Shayban ibn

896-904

904

Ahmad

al-Muktafi

904-908

57.

Gabriel I

909-920

Anba Maqar

al-Muqtadir

908-932

58.

Cosmas III

920-932

unknown

al-Muqtadir

908-932

59.

60.

Macarius I

Theophanes

932-952

952-956

Anba Maqar

al-Muhtadi

al-Radi

al-Ikhshid

Abu al-Qasim

Unujur

Abu al-Qasim

932-934

935

936-946

946-960

61.

Mina II

956-974

Anba Maqar

Unujur

Abu al-Qasim

946-960

Unujur

Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali

960-966

62.

Abraham

975-978

Layman

Kafur

Abu al-Fawaris ibn

‘Ali

al-Mu‘izz al-Mu‘izz

966-968

968-969

972-975

al-Aziz

975-996

63.

64.

Philotheus

Zacharias

979-1003

1004-1032

Anba Maqar

unknown

al-Aziz

al-Hakim al-Hakim

975-996

996-1021

65.

Shenute II

1032-1046

Anba Maqar

al-Zahir

1021-1035

al-Mustansir Abu

Tamim

1035-1094

66.

Christodoulus

1047-1077

al-Baramus

al-Mustansir

1035-1094

67.

Cyril II

1078-1092

Anba Maqar

al-Mustansir

1035-1094

68.

69.

Mikha’il IV

Macarius II

1092-1102

1102-1128

Anba Maqar

Sinjar

Anba Maqar

al-Mustansir

al-Musta‘li al-‘Amir

al-‘Amir

1035-1094

1094-1101

1101-1130

70.

Gabriel II

1131-1145

Layman

al-Hafiz

1130-1149

71.

Mikha’il V

1145-1146

Anba Maqar

al-Hafiz

1130-1149

72.

John V

1147-1167

Abu

Yuhannis

al-Hafiz

al-Zafir

1130-1149

1149-1154

73.

Mark III

1167-1189

Layman

al-Fa’iz

al-‘Adid al-‘Adid

1154-1160

1160-1171

74.

John VI

1189-1216

Layman

Salah al-Din

1171-1193

al-‘Aziz ‘Imad al-

Din

al-Mansur Muhammad al-‘Adil

1193-1198

1198-1200

1200-1218

75.

Cyril ibn

Laqlaq III

1235-1243

unknown

al-Kamil

al-‘Adil II

1218-1238

1238-1239

al-Salih Najm al-

1239-1249

76.

Athanasius III

1250-1261

Anba Maqar

Din

Shajarat al-Durr

1250-1252

77.

John VII

1262-1268

unknown

‘Izz al-Din Aybak

al-Mansur Nur al- Din ‘Ali

Sayf al-Din Qutuz al-Zahir Baybars

al-Zahir Baybars

1252-1257

1257-1259

1259-1260

1260-1277

78.

Gabriel III

1271-1293

1268-1271

unknown

al-Zahir Baybars

1260-1277

79.

Theodosius II

1294-1300

Abu Fanah

Barakah Khan

Salamish

Qalawun

al-Ashraf Khalil al-Nasir

1277-1279

1279

1279-1290

1290-1293

1294

Muhammad

al-‘Adil Kitbugha

Husam al-Din

Lajin

al-Nasir

Muhammad

1294-1926

1296-1299

1299-1309

80.

John VIII

1300-1320

Shahran

al-Nasir

Muhammad

1299-1309

81.

John IX

1320-1327

unknown

Baybars-Jashankir

al-Nasir Muhammad al-Nasir

1309-1310

1310-1341

82.

Benjamin II

1327-1339

Jabal Turah

Muhammad

al-Nasir

1310-1341

83.

Peter V

1304-1348

Anba Maqar

Muhammad

al-Din Abu Bakr

1341

al-Ashraf Kujuk

1342

al-Nasir Ahmad

al-Salih Isma‘il

al-Kamil Sha‘ban

1342

1342-1345

1346

84.

Mark IV

1349-1363

Shahran

al-Muzaffar Hajji

al-Nasir Hasan al-Nasir Hasan

1347

1347-1351

Salih Salah al-Din

1351-1354

85.

John X

1363-1369

unknown

al-Nasir Hasan

al-Mansur S Muhammad

al-Ashraf Sha‘ban

1354-1361

1361-1363

1363-1377

86.

87.

Gabriel IV

Matthew I

1370-1378

1378-1409

al-Muharraq

al-Ashraf Sha‘ban

‘Ala al-Din ‘Ali al-Mansur

1363-1377

1377-1381

al-Salih al-Din

Hajji

1382

88.

Gabriel V

1409-1427

Qalamun

Barquq

Salah Hajji

Barquq

al-Nasir Faraj

al-Mansur ‘Abd al-

‘Aziz

al-Nasir Faraj al-Nasir Faraj

1383-1389

1389-1390

1390-1398

1398-1405

1405

1406-1412

al-‘Adil Musta‘in

al-Mu’ayyad Shaykh al- Muzaffar Ahmad

1412

1412-1421

1421

Sayf al-Din Tatar

Nasir al-Din

Muhammad

1421

1421-1422

89.

John XI

1427-1452

unknown

al-Ashraf Barsbay

1422-1438

Jamal al-Din

Yusuf

Jaqmaq

1438

1438-1453

90.	Matthew II	1452-1465	al-Muharraq	Jaqmaq Fakhr al-Din	1438-1453 1453
				‘Uthman Sayf al-Din Inal	1453-1460
91.	Gabriel VI	1466-1475	Antuniyus	Shihab al-Din Ahmad Sayf al-Din Khushqadam Sayf al-Din	1460 1460-1467 1460-1467
				Khushqadam
				Sayf al-Din Yalbay	1467
92.	Mikhal VI	1476-1478	unknown	Timurbugha Qa’itbay Qa’itbay	1467 1468-1495 1468-1495

Modern Period (1500-1798)

94.

John XIII

1484-1524

al-Muharraq

Qa’itbay

al-Nasir Muhammad

1468-1495

1495-1498

95.

Gabriel VII

1525-1568

Suryan

al-Zahir Qansuh

al-Ashraf Janbalat Qansuh al-Ghuri Tuman-bay

Selim I Sulayman I Sulayman I

1498-1499

1499-1500

1500-1516

1516-1517

1512-1520

1520-1566

1522-1566

Selim II

1566-1574

96.

97.

John XIV

Gabriel VIII

1570-1585

1586-1601

al-Baramus

Bishoi

Selim II

Murad III Murad III

1566-1574

1574-1595

98.

Mark V

1602-1618

Anba Maqar

Muhammad III

Ahmad I

1595-1603

1603-1617

99.

John XV

1619-1634

Antuniyus

Mustafa I

‘Uthman II

1617-1618

1618-1620

100.

Matthew III

1634-1649

al-Baramus

Mustafa I

Murad IV Murad IV

1620-1623

1623-1640

101.

Mark VI

1650-1660

Anba Maqar

Antuniyus

Ibrahim I

1640-1648

102.

Matthew IV

1660-1675

al-Baramus

Muhammad IV

1648-1687

103.

John XVI

1676-1718

Antuniyus

Muhammad IV

1648-1687

104.

Peter VI

1718-1726

Antuniyus

Sulayman II

Ahmad II Mustafa II Ahmad III Ahmad III

1687-1691

1691-1695

1695-1703

1703-1730

105.

John XVII

1726-1745

Antuniyus- Bula

Ahmad III Mahmud I

1703-1730

1730-1754

106.

107.

Mark VII

John XVIII

1745-1769

1769-1796

Antuniyus

Mahmud I

‘Uthman III Mustafa III Mustafa III

1730-1754

1754-1757

1757-1774

‘Abd al-Hamid I

Salim III

1774-1789

1789-1805

Contemporary Period (1798 to the present)

108.

109.

Mark VIII

Peter VII

1796-1809

1809-1852

Antuniyus

Salim III Muhammad ‘Ali Muhammad ‘Ali

1789-1805

1805-1848

110.

Cyril IV

1854-1861

Antuniyus

Ibrahim

‘Abbas I

1848

1848-1854

Sa‘id

1854-1863

111.

112.

Demetrius II

Cyril V

1862-1870

1874-1927

Anba Maqar

al-Baramus

Sa‘id

Isma‘il

1854-1863

1863-1882

113.

John XIX

1928-1942

al-Baramus

Tawfiq

‘Abbas II Husayn Kamil Fouad

Fouad

1882-1892

1892-1914

1914-1917

1917-1936

Farouk

1936-1952

114.

Macarius III

1944-1945

Bishoi

Farouk

1936-1952

115.

116.

Yusab II

Cyril VI

1946-1956

1959-1971

Antuniyus

al-Baramus

Farouk

Muhammad Najib Jamal ‘Abd al-Naser Jamal ‘Abd al-Naser

1936-1952

1952-1954

1954-1970

117.

Shenouda III

1971-

Suryan

Anwar al-Sadat

1970-1981

Husni Mubarak

1981-

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Kamil Salih Nakhlah. Kitab Tarikh wa-Jadawil Batarikat al- Iskandariyyah. Cairo, 1943. This work contains most references to the ancient original lists of the patriarchs and their dates compiled from older manuscripts by a number of writers, mainly medieval. These are preserved in manuscripts in the Patriarchal Library and the Library of the Coptic Museum, Cairo. The main compilations used by Nakhlah include the works of al-Safi ibn al-‘Assal, Abu Shakir ibn al-Rahib, Abu al-Barakat ibn Kabar, Sawirus ibn al- Muqaffa‘, and Yusab, bishop of Fuwwah, all medieval (eleventh to fourteenth centuries). All use the Anno Martyri calendar, which is quoted by Nakhlah. We have converted these dates to the Anno Domini (Gregorian) calendar and based our own compilation on the History of the Patriarchs by Sawirus ibn al-Muqaffa‘ (eleventh century). Modern dates have also been adopted from later writers of the new sections of the same history.
Bacharach, Jere L. A Middle East Studies Handbook. Seattle and London, 1984. Gives Islamic history and chronology.
Meinardus, O. F. A. Christian Egypt: Ancient and Modern. Cairo, 1972.
Sawirus ibn al-Muqaffa‘. History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic Church of Alexandria, Vol. 1. In Patrologia Orientalis, 4 vols. Arabic text edited with English translation by B. T. A. Evetts. Paris 1904-1915. From Saint Mark to Yusab I. Continuation of History, published by the Society of Coptic Archeology, is as follows:
Yassa ‘Abd al-Masih and O. H. E. Burmester, eds.
Cairo, 1943. Kha’il II to Shenute I.
Atiya, A. S.; Yassa ‘Abd al-Masih; and O. H. E. Burmester, eds.
Cairo, 1948. Kha’il III to Shenute II. .
Cairo, 1959. Christodoulos to Michael IV.
Khater, A., and O. H. E. Burmester, eds.
Cairo, 1968. Macarius II to John V.
. Cairo, 1970. Mark III to John VI.
. Cairo, 1970. Cyril II to Cyril V.
. Cairo, 1974. Cyril III ibn Laqlaq.

AZIZ S. ATIYA

Tags: History