[Moslems]. ʿAmr sent word, saying, "We see what thou hast done. It was not by mere numbers that we conquered those we have conquered. We have met your king Heraclius, and there befell him what has befallen him." Hearing this, al-Muḳauḳis said to his followers, "These people are telling the truth. They have chased our king from his kingdom as far as Constantinople. It is much more preferable, therefore, that we submit." His followers, however, spoke harshly to him and insisted on fighting. The Moslems fought fiercely against them and invested them for three months. At last, ʿAmr reduced the city[1] by the sword and plundered all that was in it, sparing its inhabitants of whom none was killed or taken captive. He reduced them to the position of dhimmis like the people of Alyûnah. He communicated the news of the victory to ʿUmar through Muʿâwiyah ibn-Ḥudaij al-Kindi (later as-Sakûni) and sent with him the [usual] fifth.
Some state that al-Muḳauḳis made terms with ʿAmr to the effect that he should pay 13,000 dînârs, that those who prefer to leave Alexandria should leave, and those who prefer to stay should stay, and that two dînârs be assessed on every adult Copt. To this end, ʿAmr wrote a statement. He then left in his place over Alexandria ʿAbdallâh ibn-Ḥudhâfah ibn-Ḳais ibn-ʿAdi ibn-Saʿd ibn-Sahm ibn-ʿAmr ibn-Huṣaiṣ ibn-Kaʿb ibn-Luʾai at the head of a cavalry guard of the Moslems, and departed for al-Fusṭâṭ.[2]
Manuwîl captures Alexandria. The Greeks wrote to Constantine, son of Heraclius, who was their king at that time, telling him how few the Moslems in Alexandria were, and how humiliating the Greeks' condition was, and how they had to pay poll-tax. Constantine sent one of his men, called
