Mit Ghamr (, ) is a city in Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt. It is located on the banks of the Damietta branch, an eastern distributary of the Nile Delta. It is a major center for the aluminium industry, accounting for more than 70% of Egypt's total production, especially aluminium utensils. Mit Ghamr is the second largest city in Dakahlia Governorate, beside the city of Mansoura. The city is historically important as a center of Sufism during the Mamluk era. The city was destroyed three times by fires, the most severe of which occurred in 1902, and each time it was rebuilt. In the modern era it was settled by foreign communities, with a number of notable acts of resistance to the French and British occupations occurring in the city. Mit Ghamr is one of the Egyptian cities that declared its independence in the 1919 Egyptian revolution through what became known as the Sultanate of Mit Ghamr. It is also known as the birthplace of the first savings bank in the Middle East and the first modern Islamic bank in the world.
Etymology Mit Ghamr was historically known as "Minyat Ghamr" (), but over time, the name evolved into its current form, The word "Minyat" has an Arabic origin meaning "an elegant house surrounded by gardens." Some researchers believe that "Mit" comes from a Coptic word of ancient Egyptian origin meaning "road" or another word meaning "place." However, researchers favor the Arabic origin of the word, given the widespread use of "Minyat" in the names of Egyptian villages and cities during the Islamic era. A number of ancient historians, such as Yaqut al-Hamawi in his Dictionary of Countries, referred to many places in Egypt that bore the name "Minyat" which supports this interpretation, The word "Ghamr" means submersion or flood Because of the city's proximity to the eastern branch of the Nile River, it was submerged several times before the construction of the High Dam. Therefore, the city's name in Coptic theory means "flooded place.", and In Arabic it means "the elegant house submerged in water."
History
Foundation and Origin Some historians believe that the foundation of Mit Ghamr—historically known as Minyat Ghamr—dates back to the Fatimid period (10th–12th centuries CE). During that era, large tracts of land in the eastern Nile Delta, particularly in the region known as al-Ḥūf al-Sharqī (the Eastern District), were granted to Arab tribes to secure their allegiance and ensure stability near the Damietta branch of the Nile. Among the many Arab settlements established in this region was Minyat Ghamr, which emerged as one of the larger Bedouin villages along the eastern bank of the Nile, directly across from the present-day city of Zefta. Historical sources such as al-Maqrīzī and al-Qalqashandī mention the presence of Arab tribes—particularly Banu Lakhm and Banu Judham—in the area, Among them are the Banu Shawar, who are attributed to the well-known Fatimid minister, Shawar.
In 564 AH/1168 AD, the city of Mit Ghamr was subjected to a Crusader attack during the reign of Caliph al-Adid li-Din Allah. The attack was led by King Amalric I after Shawar burned Fustat. The Crusaders headed to Mit Ghamr with a fleet of twenty galleys, and the attack resulted in killing, capture, and enslavement. Later, during the Ayyubid period, waves of migration continued due to the Crusades. Tribes from the Eastern Delta and the ancient port of al-Farama (Pelusium) moved inland, founding new villages named after their clans, many of which were prefixed with the term Minyat. In this context, Minyat Ghamr grew in prominence and eventually evolved into the modern city known today as Mit Ghamr. Nevertheless, despite the well-documented settlement of Arab tribes in the region, some historians argue that the city may have much older roots, although determining its exact date is extremely difficult, as is the case with most cities in the Nile Delta.
The Mamluk era During the Mamluk era, Mit Ghamr was administratively affiliated to the Eastern Province, and enjoyed a prominent position among the Mamluk princes, as they were granted fiefdoms there. During the reign of Sultan Barquq, Mit Ghamr became the headquarters of the Kashif of Lower Egypt, who ruled all of Lower Egypt except for Al-Buhayra, where it was the headquarters of the Sultan's deputy. In 857 AH/1453 CE, Mit Ghamr was subjected to widespread looting by Bedouin tribes, leading to its destruction and the displacement of a large number of its inhabitants. The residents sought refuge with Zayn al-Din al-Ustadar, complaining of their plight. He ordered them to appear before the Sultan to present their grievances. However, al-Ustadar soon suffered a similar misfortune, and the city's inhabitants continued to face hardship. After a period, the residents returned to their city after entrusting their affairs to Baqr ibn Rashid, the sheikh of the Sharqiya Bedouin tribes. He then organized the sale of their belongings and the items looted from their shops. in 863 AH / 1458 AD Sultan Sayf al-Din Inal, who ordered the dispatch of a Mamluk military force to maintain security and restore stability. the city was a center for Sufi scholars and religious figures, attracting disciples from across Egypt. Several historical shrines remain, such as the Shrine of Sidi Muhammad al-Wa’iz, Sidi Khalaf, and Arbaeen, dating back to the 15th century. Some of the mosques belonging to it still exist, such as the Sheikh Qasim Mosque (Sidi Qasim) and others. The Mamluk Sultan Qaitbay attempted to meet Abu al-Abbas al-Ghamri, one of the city's renowned Sufi figures, but was unsuccessful, so he later sent his son to visit him.
The Ottoman era At the beginning of Ottoman rule in Egypt, The city suffered a devastating fire during the reign of Hayır Bey, when Abd al-Dayem ibn Baqr, one of the Bedouin sheikhs of Sharqia, set it ablaze during his rebellion against the Ottoman authorities in 924 AH/1518 CE. This was the first major destruction the city had endured. The military force dispatched by Khayr Bey managed to expel Abd al-Dayim from his stronghold in Mit Ghamr. In 1523 CE, a high-ranking envoy arrived in Mit Ghamr from Istanbul to install Ahmad ibn Baqr, Abd al-Dayim's father, as the sheikh of the Bedouin. Sheikh Ahmad received the envoy with great pomp and ceremony, presenting him with all the taxes collected in Sharqia.
In 1524, Ahmed Pasha, the governor of Egypt, known as "Hain Ahmed Pasha," declared his rebellion against the Ottoman Empire, proclaiming his independence and appointing himself Sultan of Egypt after capturing the Cairo Citadel. However, Prince Janem al-Hamzawi managed to rally the people and assemble a surprise force, attacking Ahmed Pasha's troops while he was at the bathhouse. During the ensuing clash, Ahmed Pasha fled to Mit Ghamr and sought refuge with Ibn Baqr, but the latter abandoned him, leaving Janem al-Hamzawi and the Ottoman army to pursue him. A decisive battle erupted in Mit Ghamr, ending with the Ottoman army's capture and pillaging of the city. Ahmed Pasha was captured and beheaded. His head was then sent to Cairo and displayed at Bab Zuweila before being sent to the Sultan in Istanbul.
The administrative status of the city changed during the Ottoman era, as Mit Ghamr was annexed to the Dakahlia Governorate according to the Ottoman quadrature carried out by the Ottoman governor Hadım Suleiman Pasha during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. The Turkish traveler Evliya Çelebi noted that during his visit, Mit Ghamr contained 4,000 houses, 9 grand mosques, 35 mosques, 7 schools, 12 offices, 7 caravanserais, and 600 shops.
In the Ottoman era, Mit Ghamr thrived as a key trade hub due to its strategic location along the Nile River trade routes, Mit Ghamr was also distinguished by its flourishing blacksmithing industry, with an integrated industrial complex comprising markets, workshops, and an administrative system overseen by the "Qisaira." This industry had a clear and integrated infrastructure, demonstrating the advancement of the city's traditional crafts. The city also featured a prominent goldsmiths' quarter, which specialized in crafting and selling gold and silver jewelry and still exists today. It is noteworthy that the dhimmis (non-Muslims) monopolized this profession at the time.
Resistance during the French Campaign in Egypt
Revolt of the Amir al-Hajj (March 1799) During Napoleon Bonaparte's invasion of Egypt, Mit Ghamr played a pivotal role in resisting the French occupation by cutting off supply routes along the Nile River. This act of defiance angered the French and marked the beginning of a revolt led by Mustafa Bey the Kethüda of Bakr Pasha, the Governor of Egypt, who was also appointed then by Napoleon himself as the Amir al-Hajj of Egypt Instead of Saleh Bey, who died of grief when he heard the news of the occupation.
Taking advantage of Napoleon's departure from Egypt in early 1799 to Syria, especially after receiving news from Jazzar Pasha and his former superior Bakr Pasha that Sultan Selim III had sent an army to Egypt to expel the French. Mustafa Bey launched a revolution on March 25, 1799, making Mit Ghamr the center of his operations. The revolution was joined by Sheikh Suleiman al-Fayoumi, an Al-Azhar scholar and one of its main advocates, whose influence and popularity among Egyptians were among the main factors that encouraged people to join the revolt, along with Ibrahim Effendi, the Great Qadi of Egypt. Their participation gave the movement religious and legal legitimacy. As French forces and 7 ships left Cairo to support Napoleon's military power in Levant campaign, Mustafa Bey gathered followers from northern Egypt. Several rebellious Bedouin and Mamluks tribes also joined his cause, motivated by his religious influence and his official role in the Ottoman administration.
The rebel forces were estimated to be in the thousands. The beginning of the revolution was crowned with success because the revolutionaries were able to capture 6 ships, kill those on board, and seize their weapons, while the remaining ship escaped to Cairo and was merely a guard ship. Although the French eventually suppressed the revolt after they clashed with the revolutionaries and Mustafa Bey fled to Palestine, the people of Mit Ghamr rose up again. Supported this time by surviving Mamluk factions, they attacked a large French warship loaded with weapons and cannons, capturing and killing the French soldiers on board.