History of Cairo

Initial settlement
In the Arabic tongue Cairo is referred to either as Al-Quahira meaning 'The Triumphant' or Misr - also the Arabic name for Egypt. It's the country's capital and the largest city in Africa. Although officially founded in AD 969 its history stretches back over five millennia. Modern Cairo incorporates several different settlements that were used as the capitals by varying empires from the Pharaohs to the Arabs.

Pharaoh's base
Menes, the first pharaoh, united the northern and southern kingdoms to form Egypt and built his capital at Memphis. Memphis flourished for eight hundred years until later rulers relocated the capital to Heliopolis on the east bank of the Nile. Power then shifted south to Thebes(modern Luxor) before the Roman conquest when once more the capital was moved. It returned to the north, near Memphis, and took the lofty title of Babylon-in-Egypt.

Arab capital
In 640 AD the Moslems besieged Babylon, established control over Egypt and built a new capital, Al-Fustat. Just over a century later the kingdom fell to the warring Abbasids, hailing from Baghdad, who -in keeping with tradition decided on a new capital, Al-Askar. By 1870 the governor Ahmad Ibn-Tulun decided to wrestle power form Baghdad and declared Egypt independent. Inevitably a new capital was needed, this time Al Quatai was chosen. All three former Arab capitals were within 10 square kilometers of each other, and are today part of Cairo city.

Foundation of the city
The Abbasids days of influence in Egypt were numbered. After briefly regaining control, it was the turn of the Syrian Fatimads to take the reins in 969. This period is also recognized as the formal foundation of Cairo, under the auspices of general Gawhar at Al Qahira. Conflict with the Crusaders resulted in Salah-el-Din(Saladin) taking Egypt and establishing control over the country ending the Fatimad rule. Despite the continuing changes of ruler Cairo remained the capital of Egypt. Saladin's ancestors the Ayyubid's took power, later to be overturned by the Mamelukes and then the Ottomans.

European influence
The arrival of Napoleon in 1798 and then the British did not really impact on Cairo, however the take-over of Egypt by the Albanian Muhammad Ali did. He ousted the British and expanded Egyptian power. One of his successors, the viceroy Ismail Pasha, built numerous European style buildings and used the opening of the Suez canal in 1869 to showcase the city. Cairo 's time in the international spotlight was short-lived as overspending allowed the expansion of European Influence. Cairo became the capital of British controlled Egypt.

Modern city
The British bought electricity and some urban development but constant growth has led to the city expanding beyond the capabilities of its infrastructure. These problems include water leaks destabilizing the city's foundations and the constant stream of migrants arriving from the countryside. The fact that Egypt 's population is increasing by almost a million every seven months will no doubt add to the problem.