Medhat Hossman (1143-1284) was a general of the Ayyubid Empire, the governor of Alexandria.
Biography[]
The descendant of Jewish slaves in Egypt, Hossman was the governor of the ancient Egyptian city of Alexandria under the rule of the Ayyubid dynasty. Hossman was more of a budding bureaucrat and a promising defender, so he was kept away from the front lines of the Ayyubid war with the Kingdom of Jerusalem, and he remained in the port city of Alexandria, managing the civil affairs. Under his rule, the Greek and Roman ideas were kept alive under Muslim management, while the Christians were educated by cathedrals and not by teachers. Under Hossman’s supervision, Alexandria beat off a Crusader naval attack and flourished in trade and knowledge.