Changes

When the Ottoman Turks conquered Egypt in 1517, they divided the religious communities of the country according to their <i>millet</i> system and continued the use of sharia law, but there were no widespread or massive anti-Christian pogroms under their rule. In fact, the Ottomans gave the Copts many rights that were denied them under previous Islamic dynasties, such as the right to bear arms and to serve in the military. <ref> Wakin, pgs. 9-10</ref> Another significant change that took place during Ottoman rule in Egypt that affected the Copts was a kindling of modern, non-sectarian Egyptian nationalism. <ref> Guirguis, Max. “Islamic Resurgence and Its Consequences in the Egyptian Experience.” <i>Mediterranean Studies</i> 20 (2012) p. 190</ref>

The nascent native nationalism that began to take hold in Egypt during Ottoman rule came to full fruition after the British conquered the country in 1882. Native Egyptian nationalism became ascendant in political circles during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, which was led by the Wafd Party. The Wafd Party was founded by Saad Zaghloul (1859-1927) in 1919 as a secular pro-independence nationalist party. Zaghloul made sure to emphasize the organization’s secular nature by having both Muslims and Copts in important positions, holding interfaith marches, and by adopting a party flag that featured both the Islamic crescent and the Coptic cross, although the crescent was noticeably larger. <ref> Guirgis, p. 191</ref> The Copts appeared poised to position themselves in a favorable spot when Egypt finally achieved independence.