The pre-Islamic period in Egypt Political background Before the Islamic conquest, Egypt was a part of the Byzantine Empire, which controlled the region for over 500 years. The Byzantine Empire was a centralized state, with a complex bureaucracy and a well-organized military. However, the empire was facing several internal and external challenges, such as economic decline, political instability, and pressure from neighboring empires, which weakened its hold on Egypt. Social background The population of pre-Islamic Egypt was primarily Coptic Christian, with a small Arab minority.