1212 CE Quake

Textual Evidence

Text (with hotlink)	Original Language	Biographical Info	Religion	Date of Composition	Location Composed	Notes
Damage and Chronology Reports from Textual Sources	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Abu Shama	Arabic	Biography	Sunni Muslim	before 1268 CE	Damascus	Account States that on the night of 1 May 1212 CE [year assumed] there was a tremendous earthquake which destroyed many parts of old and new Cairo while adding that it also destroyed towers and houses at Al- Karak and Shubak and many women and children died in the ruins. Abu Shama also said that the most violent shock was at Aylat, on the coast and added that it was said that the earthquake was preceded by a black wind and many falling stars.
Ibn Kathir	Arabic	Biography	Muslim	Before 1373 CE	Damascus	Account States that there was a very violent earthquake in Egypt and at Cairo, and many houses were destroyed adding that the same thing happened at Al-Karak and Shubak, and some of its citadel towers were destroyed and many women and children died in the ruins.
al-Maqrizi	Arabic	Biography	Sunni Muslim Shafi‘i (Rabbat, 2003:9)	before 1442 CE	Cairo or Damascus	Account States that there was a violent earthquake in Egypt and at Cairo, and many houses were destroyed adding that there was also an earthquake at Al-Karak and Shubak and many people died in the ruins and a number of towers in its citadel were destroyed. States that smoke was seen coming down from heaven to earth in Damascus between dusk and evening.
as-Suyuti	Arabic	Biography	Sufi Muslim	15th c. CE	Cairo	Account States that in A.H. 608 (15 June 1211 - 2 June 1212 CE) there was a violent earthquake in Egypt and at Cairo, and many houses were destroyed adding that there was also an earthquake at Al-Karak and Shubak, and some towers in its citadel were destroyed and many people died in the ruins. States that smoke was seen to come down from heaven to earth between dusk and evening at the tomb of Atika in the western part of Damascus..
Nectarius of Jerusalem	Greek	Biography	Greek Orthodox Christian	before 1680 CE	Jerusalem ?	Account Ambraseys (2009:337), citing Nectarios Kretas (1768, 197; 1677, 198) and Eustratiades (1932, 1225) quoting an Arabic synaxarium written at the monastery [of St Catherine in Sinai] in February 1214, states the following: In the Sinai Peninsula, the shock caused severe damage to the monastery of St Catherine, destroying a major part of its fortifications and damaging the church. The northern wall of the monastery, with its northwest and northeast corners, collapsed. Of the cells, some were destroyed completely and others lost their roofs, apparently without loss of life. This was possibly due to the fact that the earthquake, which struck at dawn, had been preceded by a foreshock at sunset the previous evening (Monday 30 April), which might have served as a warning. The shock triggered rock falls from the mountains behind the monastery, and was followed by aftershocks that continued for a year. The date of the earthquake was commemorated as a day for prayers and penitence Ambraseys (2009:338 n.2) notes that the day for prayers, 1 May, is the definitive date of the shock.
Text (with hotlink)	Original Language	Biographical Info	Religion	Date of Composition	Location Composed	Notes

Damage and Chronology Reports from Textual Sources

**Seismic Effects**
Effect	Sources	Notes
Violent earthquake in Egypt and at Cairo, and many houses were destroyed	Abu Shama, Ibn Kathir, al-Maqrizi, as-Suyuti	Abu Shama says it destroyed many parts of old and new Cairo but did not mention Egypt.
Earthquake at Al-Karak and Shubak and many people died in the ruins of houses and a number of towers in its citadel were destroyed	Abu Shama, Ibn Kathir, al-Maqrizi, as-Suyuti
The most violent shock was at Aylat, on the coast	Abu Shama	Abu Shama
Smoke was seen coming down from heaven to earth between dusk and evening	Abu Shama, al-Maqrizi, as-Suyuti	Abu Shama said the [nighttime] earthquake was preceded by a black wind and many falling stars. as-Suyuti specifies that this was observed at the tomb of Atika in the western part of Damascus
Damage to Saint Catherine's monastery in the Sinai	Nectarius of Jerusalem

**Date**
Date	Sources	Notes
1 May	Abu Shama and Nectarius of Jerusalem	Nectarius of Jerusalem date provided by Ambraseys (2009:338 n.2)

**Time of Day**
Time	Sources	Notes
nighttime	Abu Shama
dawn	Nectarius of Jerusalem	Nectarius of Jerusalem timing provided by Ambraseys (2009:338)
preceded by a foreshock at sunset the previous evening (Monday 30 April)	Nectarius of Jerusalem	Nectarius of Jerusalem timing provided by Ambraseys (2009:338)

Sequel to the Two Gardens by Abu Shama

Al-Dhayl 'ala 'l-Rawdatayn by Abu Shama

Aliases

Aliases	Arabic
Abu Shama
Abū Shāma Shihāb al-Dīn al-Maḳdisī
Abū Shāma Shihāb al-Dīn Abuʾl-Ḳāsim ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Ismāʿīl ibn Ibrāhīm ibn ʿUthmān ibn Abī Bakr ibn Ibrāhīm ibn Muḥammad al-Maḳdisī (or al-Maqdisī)
Shihāb al-Dīn Abuʾl-Ḳāsim ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Ismāʿīl al-Maḳdisī

Background and Biography

Excerpts

English from Guidoboni and Comastri (2005)

from Guidoboni and Comastri (2005)

During the night of 27 Dhul-qa'da (1 May), there was a tremendous earthquake which destroyed many parts of old and new Cairo; it also destroyed towers and houses at Al- Karak and Shubak. Many women and children died in the ruins. The most violent shock was at Aylat, on the coast. It was said that the earthquake was preceded by a black wind and many falling stars.

Chronology

Year	Reference	Corrections	Notes
night of 1 May 1212 CE	night of 27 Dhu'l-Qa'da	none	Calculated using CHRONOS A.H. 608 is assumed 1 May 1212 CE fell on a Tuesday (calculated using CHRONOS)

Seismic Effects

destroyed many parts of old and new Cairo
destroyed towers and houses at Al-Karak and Shubak. Many women and children died in the ruins.
The most violent shock was at Aylat, on the coast.
It was said that the earthquake was preceded by a black wind and many falling stars.

Locations

Cairo
Al-Karak
Shubak
Aylat

Online Versions and Further Reading

References

Abu Shama, Al-rawdatain fi Akhbar al dawlatayn, i.120, and Dhail, i/i.260ff. ed. Hilmi; also ed. M. Zahid al-Kauthari, Cairo, 1947 (1203–1268).

Abu Shama, Dhayl ‘ala al-raudatain fi Akhbar al dawlatayn, ed. al-Zujari and al-Hasani, Cairo, 1947.

Abu Shama (C), The Book of the Two Gardens, RHC H.Or. vol. 4, Paris, 1884.

Abu Shama, al-Rawdatayn fi akhbar al-dawlatayn al-nuriyya wa'l-salahiyya, Cairo 1870.

Abu Shama, Kitab al-rawdatayn, ed. Muhammad Hilmi Muhammad Ahmad, 2 vols., Cairo 1956-62.

ABUSHAMA, Opus dictum Kitab er-Raudatayn, sub titulo Le Livre deux jardins ou Histoire de deux auctore Abou Chamach, edited and translated by A.C. BARBIER DEMEYNERD, RHC Hist. Or., vol. 4, Paris 1896.

The Beginning and the End by Ibn Kathir

Al-Bidaya wa'l-Nihaya by ابن كثير

Aliases

Aliases	Arabic
Ibn Kathīr	ابن كثير
Abu al-Fiḍā ‘Imād Ad-Din Ismā‘īl ibn ‘Umar ibn Kathīr al-Qurashī Al-Damishqī	إسماعيل بن عمر بن كثير القرشي الدمشقي أبو الفداء عماد
Abū l-Fidāʾ Ismāʿīl ibn ʿUmar ibn Kaṯīr	أبو الفداء إسماعيل بن عمر بن كثير
Imād ad-Dīn	عماد الدين

Background and Biography

Excerpts

English from Guidoboni and Comastri (2005)

from Guidoboni and Comastri (2005)

There was a very violent earthquake in Egypt and at Cairo, and many houses were destroyed. The same thing happened at Al-Karak and Shubak, and some of its citadel towers were destroyed. Many women and children died in the ruins.

Seismic Effects

violent earthquake in Egypt and at Cairo, and many houses were destroyed
The same thing happened at Al-Karak and Shubak, and some of its citadel towers were destroyed. Many women and children died in the ruins.

Locations

Egypt
Cairo
Al-Karak
Shubak

Sources

H. Laoust in Encyclopedia of Islam v. 3 (1991:817-818) describes Ibn Kathir's sources as follows

His history of the caliphate makes use, among other sources, of al-Tabari, Ibn 'Asakir, Ibn al-Djawzi, Ibn al-Athir, Sibt Ibn al-Djawzi, Kutb al-Din al-Yunini, al-Dhahabi, etc. The Biddya ends with a chronicle of the history of Damascus, which owes much to the Ta'rikh of al-Birzali (d, 739/1338-9) and his Mu'djam.

Online Versions and Further Reading

References

Ibn Kathir, al-Bidaya wa’l-nihaya fi ’l-tarikh, 13 volumes, ed. Cairo, 1932–39 (1300–1373) 1351-58.

Ibn Kathir, al-Bidaya wa'l-nihaya, Beirut 1966.

al-Bidaya complete text

zlib booklist on Ibn Kathir (Indonesian)

IBN KATHIR, al-Bidaya wa wa 'l-nihaya fi al-tarikh, 14 vols., Cairo 1932-1939.

Notes

Dependants

H. Laoust in Encyclopedia of Islam v. 3 (1991:817-818) describes some of Ibn Kathir's dependants

The popularity of the Biddya is proved by the great number of historical works for which it, in its turn, was the basis, including those of Ibn Hidjdji (d. 816/1413), Ibn Katfi Shuhba (d. 851/1348) and especially Ibn Hadjar al-'Askalani (d. 852/1449), who wrote a continuation not only of Ibn Kathir but of two of the latter's great teachers, al-Mizzi and al-Dhahabi. Al-'Ayni (d. 855/1451) was also indebted to the Biddya.

Exhortations and Instructions on the Districts and Antiquities & Admonitions of the Orthodox by al-Maqrizi

Khitat & Itti’az by المقريزي

Aliases

Aliases	Arabic
Al-Maqrīzī	المقريزي
Maḳrīzī
Taqī al-Dīn Abū al-'Abbās Aḥmad ibn 'Alī ibn 'Abd al-Qādir ibn Muḥammad al-Maqrīzī	تقي الدين أحمد بن علي بن عبد القادر بن محمد المقريزي

Background and Biography

Excerpts

English from Guidoboni and Comastri (2005)

from Guidoboni and Comastri (2005)

There was a violent earthquake in Egypt and at Cairo, and many houses were destroyed. There was also an earthquake at Al-Karak and Shubak and many people died in the ruins and a number of towers in its citadel were destroyed. And smoke was seen coming down from heaven to earth in Damascus between dusk and evening.

Seismic Effects

a violent earthquake in Egypt and at Cairo, and many houses were destroyed
an earthquake at Al-Karak and Shubak and many people died in the ruins and a number of towers in its citadel were destroyed
smoke was seen coming down from heaven to earth in Damascus between dusk and evening.

Locations

Egypt
Cairo
Al-Karak
Shubak

Sources

Sources and Notes

from Al-Maqrizi’s works are the most comprehensive account of the Fatimid era by Nimira Dewji March 7 2015

One of the most important sources of Fatimid history is the works of the prolific Egyptian Taqi al-Din Ahmad b. Ali al-Maqrizi (1364-1442). Al-Maqrizi was the first historian to understand that the history of space – a city, building – can reveal as much as any text or document. He attempted to reconstruct the vanished Fatimid city by tracing its walls and streets and enumerating its mosques and palaces in his massive book, Exhortations and Instructions on the Districts and Antiquities, usually known as Khitat (Districts).

Al-Maqrizi also wrote a chronicle of Fatimid history from its origins to the end of the dynasty: Admonitions of the Orthodox, usually known as the Itti’az (Admonitions). One of the sources that al-Maqrizi repeatedly cites is the Book of Treasures and Curiosities, written in Arabic by an anonymous eyewitness to some of the events of the Fatimid period; this work describes the material and the visual world of the period. The manuscript was thought to have been lost but was discovered in the 1950s in the Gedik Ahmet Pasa Library at Afyonkarahsar in Turkey. It was subsequently translated into English and published.

The Khitat provides unique insights into the topographical facets of Cairo, a city founded by al-Mu‘izz in 969, describing the many spectacular structures established in Egypt. His other work, the Muqaffa, records invaluable biographical accounts of the prominent figures of Fatimid society.

Al-Maqrizi’s writings represent the most comprehensive account of the Fatimid era. His Itti‘az al-hunafa’ bi-akhbar al a’imma al-Fatimiyyin al-khulafa’ (Lessons for the Seekers of Truth in the History of the Fatimid Imams and Caliphs) focuses principally on the Fatimid age.

The Institute of Ismaili Studies has published the book, Towards a Shi‘i Mediterranean Empire, that focuses on the reign of the Fatimid Caliph-Imam al-Mu‘izz as discussed in the Itti‘az. The Institute has also published an Arabic critical edition of al-Maqrizi’s Itti‘az al-hunafa.

References:

Jonathan. M. Bloom, Arts of the City Victorious: Islamic art and architecture in Fatimid North Africa and Egypt. Yale University Press. 2008

Dr. Shainool Jiwa, Towards a Shi‘i Mediterranean Empire: Fatimid Egypt and the Founding of Cairo. I.B. Taurus in association with The Institute of Ismaili Studies

Online Versions and Further Reading

References

al-Maqrizi, Taqi al-Din, Kitab al-suluk li-ma’rifat duwal al-muluk, ed. M. Ziada and A. ’Ashur, 4 volumes, Cairo 1934/972, also ed. J. M. de Goeje, Leiden: Bibl. Geograph. Arabes, 1906.

al-Maqr. khit.: Taqi al-Din al-Maqrizi, Kitab al-mawa’z wa’l-itibar fi dhikr al-khitat wal’athar, ed Bulaq, Cairo, 1853–54; partial trans. ed. G. Wiet, MIFAO xxx–liii, Cairo, 1911–25.

al-Maqrizi, Taqi al-Din partial trans. in M. Quatremere ` (1837), Histoire des sultans Mamlouks de l’Egypte, London: Oriental Translations Fund, 4 volumes in 2, 1837–45.

al-Maqrizi, Kitab al-sulak li-mdrifat duwal al-muluk, ed. M.Mustafa Ziada and Sa`id A.F `Ashur, 4 vols. in 8, Cairo 1934-72, partial trans. in M.Quatremere, Histoire des sultans Mamlouks de l'Egypte, London 1937-45.

Rabbat, N. (2003) Who was Maqrizi ? A biographical sketch

al-Maqqari, Ahmad b. Muhammad al-Tilimsani, Nafit al-tib, Beirut n.d 355

al-Maqrizi, Ahmad b. 'Ali, Daw' al-sari li-ma'rifat khabar tamim al-dari, (1) ed. C. D. Matthews, JPOS, 19:147, 1939/40

Cairo 1972 201 al-Dhahab al-masbuk fi dhikr man hajja min al-khulafa' wa'l-muluk, Cairo 1955 259

Book: The Megrazi plans called "sermons and consideration by mentioning plans and monuments" - in Arabic but your browser can translate to English

Khitat

Ambraseys (2009) quotes Khitat by al-Maqrizi for the Earthquake of 1068 CE.

al-Mawa`iz wa'l-i`tibar bi-dhikr al-khitat wa'l-athar, Beirut n.d. 76, 175, 245, 259, 304, 313, 344, 364, 422, 460, 469, 475-476, 483, 549-550, 552-553, 564, 566, 569, 571, 576-577, 585, 592, 598, 702, 709-710, 836, 918, 941-942, 943 al-Muqaffa, ed. T. Bianquis, BEO, 26:185, 1973 550, 552, 553, 558

Maqrīzī (al-), Taqī al-Dīn Aḥmad ibn 'Alī (1908) [1906]. Kitāb al-Khiṭaṭ al-Maqrīzīyah (in Arabic). Vol. 4. Cairo: Al-Nīl Press.

al-Maqrizi, Kitab al-Mawa`iz wa 7-ietibar f ti dhikr al-khitat wa'l-athar ft Misr wa'l-Qahira wa'l Nil wa-mayatdallaqu biha min al-akhbar al-mdruf bi-ism al-khitat, Cairo, 1270/1853-54.

Description topographique et historique de l'Égypte by Urbain Bouriant (Trans.) - Translated from Al-Mawāʻiẓ wa-al-lʻtibār bi-Dhikr al-Khiṭaṭ wa-al-āthār - did not find the earthquake in here

Itti‘az

Gil (1992:409 n. 60) quotes Itti‘az by al-Maqrizi for the Earthquake of 1068 CE.

al-Maqrizi, Taqi al-Din, Ittiaz al-huntafa, ed. Jamal al-Din al-Shayyal, 3 volumes, Cairo, 1967–73.

Itti‘az al-hunafa’ bi-akhbar al-a’imma al-Fatimiyyin al-khulafa’ (Lessons for the Seekers of Truth on the History of the Fatimid Imams and Caliphs)

News article - IIS Publishes Arabic Critical Edition of al-Maqrizi’s Itti‘az al-hunafa’

Redjala, M. b., et al. (1975). "Les Éditions De L'Itti'Āz Al-Hunafā' (Histoire Fatimide) De Maqrīzī Par Ahmad Hilmy, Sadok Hunī (Khouni), Fātiha Dib Et Peter Kessler." Arabica 22(3): 302-323.

Wiet, M.G. (1911) El-mawâ'iz wa'l-i'tibâr fî dhikr el-khitat wa'l-âthâr. t.1 Chap. I-XXX - Arabic with french footnotes - online

Itti'az al-hunafa', Cairo 1967/73 255, 304, 463, 545, 547, 548-549, 550, 552-553, 555, 557-558, 560-561, 564-566, 576, 585, 587-588, 592, 595-596, 598, 600, 602-603, 607, 610-611, 811, 894, 944

Itti'az al-hunafa by Aḥmad ibn ʻAlī Maqrīzī (ed. 1948)

Clearing up the Description of Earthquakes by Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti

كتاب كشف الصلصلة عن وصف الزلزلة by عبد الرحمن بن كمال الدين أبي بكر بن محمد سابق الدين خضر الخضيري الأسيوطي

Aliases

Aliases	Arabic
Al-Suyuti
As-Suyuti
Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti
Abu 'l-Fadl 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr ibn Muhammad Djalal al_Din al-Khudayri

Background and Biography

Excerpts

English from Guidoboni and Comastri (2005)

from Guidoboni and Comastri (2005)

In the year 608 [H. = 1212-1213], there was a violent earthquake in Egypt and at Cairo, and many houses were destroyed. There was also an earthquake at Al-Karak and Shubak, and some towers in its citadel were destroyed and many people died in the ruins. Smoke was seen to come down from heaven to earth between dusk and evening at the tomb of Atika in the western part of Damascus.

English from Sprenger (1843)

from an abridged translation by Sprenger (1843:748)

A.H. 608. In Egypt and Cairo many persons lost their lives, and great smoke arose west of Damascus.

English from Sprenger (1843) - embedded

see top of page 748 starting with 608.
from an abridged translation by Sprenger (1843:748)
from archive.org

An Original Manuscript - Arabic

The Noor book courtesy of Najib Abou Karaki (personal correspondence, 2022)

Chronology

Year	Reference	Corrections	Notes
15 June 1211 - 2 June 1212 CE	A.H. 608	none	Calculated using CHRONOS

Seismic Effects

violent earthquake in Egypt and at Cairo, and many houses were destroyed
also an earthquake at Al-Karak and Shubak, and some towers in its citadel were destroyed and many people died in the ruins
Smoke was seen to come down from heaven to earth between dusk and evening at the tomb of Atika in the western part of Damascus.

Locations

Egypt
Cairo
Al-Karak
Shubak

Notes and Further Reading

References

Sprenger (1843). "As-Soyuti's work on Earthquakes, ." Journal of The Asiatic Society of Bengal 12(141): 741-749.

Nejjar, S. (1973-1974). Traité du tremblement de terre / Jalal ad-Din as-Suyut'i ; trad. annotée [de l'arabe] de Saïd Nejjar. Rabat, Cahiers du centre universitaire de la recherche scientifique.

Al-Sadani, A. (1971). (Jalal-Eddine Al-Suyouti) Kasff Al-Salsala Wa Wasf Al-Zalzalah, in Arabic. Rabat, Morocco.

WORKS & BOOKS OF IMAM JALALUDDIN SUYUTI

al-Suyuti, J. (1971). Kashf al-salsala 'an wasf al-zalzala. A. a.-L. Sa'adan. Fez.

References form the Encyclopedia of Islam

al-Suyuti's biography, written by his disciple 'Abd al-Kadir al-Shadhili, Bahdjat al-adbidin bitardjamat Djaldl al-Din (mss. in London, Dublin, Kuwayt)

Shams al-Din al-Dawudi, Taradjamat al-Suyuti (ms. Tubingen)

Nadjm al-Din al-Ghazzi, al-Kawakib al-sa'ira bi-a'ydn al-mi'a a al-'ashira, Beirut 1945, i, 226-31.

E.M. Sartain, Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti - remains the most complete study in a Western language

eadem, Jalal al-Din as-Suyuti's relations with the people of Takrur, in JSS, xvi (1971), 193-8.

S. Abu Djib mentions several studies in Arabic (op. cit., 331-2).

In his Muhammad's birthday festival (Leiden 1993, 45-70), N.J. Kaptein presents and translates al-Suyuti's fatwa which validates the practice of the mawlid nabawi

Nectarius of Jerusalem

Aliases

Aliases	Greek
Nectarius of Jerusalem
Nectarios Kretas
Patriarch Nektarios
Nikolaos Pelopidis	Νεκτάριος Πελοπίδης

Background and Biography

Excerpts

English from Ambraseys (2009)

from Ambraseys (2009:337), citing Nectarios Kretas (1768, 197; 1677, 198) and Eustratiades (1932, 1225) quoting an Arabic synaxarium written at the monastery [of St Catherine in Sinai] in February 1214

In the Sinai Peninsula, the shock caused severe damage to the monastery of St Catherine, destroying a major part of its fortifications and damaging the church. The northern wall of the monastery, with its northwest and northeast corners, collapsed. Of the cells, some were destroyed completely and others lost their roofs, apparently without loss of life. This was possibly due to the fact that the earthquake, which struck at dawn, had been preceded by a foreshock at sunset the previous evening (Monday 30 April), which might have served as a warning.

The shock triggered rock falls from the mountains behind the monastery, and was followed by aftershocks that continued for a year. The date of the earthquake was commemorated as a day for prayers and penitence.

Chronology

Year	Reference	Corrections	Notes
dawn 1 May	the day for prayers, 1 May, is the definitive date of the shock	none	Ambraseys (2009:338 n.2) wrote that the day for prayers, 1 May, is the definitive date of the shock

Seismic Effects

severe damage to the monastery of St Catherine, destroying a major part of its fortifications and damaging the church
The northern wall of the monastery, with its northwest and northeast corners, collapsed
Of the cells, some were destroyed completely and others lost their roofs, apparently without loss of life.
preceded by a foreshock at sunset the previous evening (Monday 30 April)

Locations

Monastery of St Catherine in the Sinai

Notes and Further Reading

References

Eustratiades, S.A. (1932) Oi en Byzantio megaloi kai katastreptikoi seismoi. Romanos o Melodos, I (Paris), 121-6.

Eustratiadis, S. A. (1918), Katalogos ton en ti moni Vlateon apokeimenon kothikon, Thessaloniki.

Melville, C. P. (1984), ‘The use of historical records for seismic assessment’, in A. Brambati and D. Slejko (eds.), The O.G.S. Silver Anniversary Volume, Trieste.

Nectarios Kretes, Patriarch of Jerusalem (1677) Epitomi tis ierokosmikis historias, 1st edn; also ed. S. Milias, Venice (1758).

Nectarios Kretas (1768, 197; 1677, 198)

Nectarios Kretas (1658), Epitomi tis hierokosmikis historias, ed. S. Milias, Venice, 1677.

Papamichalopoulos, C. N. (1912), I moni tou orous Sina, Athens–Cairo

Bibliography from New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge

Among the writings of Nectarine the most important is his refutation of the theses of a certain Peter regarding the papal supremacy (ed. Dositheus, with a life of Nectarius, Jassy, 1682). He is still better known by his recommendation of the Confessio orthodoxa of Mogilas (latest ed., E. Legrand, Bibliographie hellenique, ii. 208 sqq., 4 vols, Paris, 1894-98). A letter to the monks of Sinai is also contained in E. Renaudot's Genadii patriarchoe Constanlinopolitani homiliae de sacramento eucharistiae, etc. (Paris, 1709, pp. 171-183). In his doctrine of the Eucharist Nectarine was strictly orthodox, and a zealous opponent of Cyril Lucar (q.v.) and the "Calvinistic" movement.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Beside the biography noted in the test and the work of Legrand, vols. ii-v. passim. consult:

M. Le Quinn. Oriens Christianus, iii. 6520-522. Paris, 1740

A. Pichler, Geschichte der kirchlichhen Trennung zwischen dem Orient und Occident, i. 474-481, Munich, 1864 (deals with the tract against Peter).

Notes

Ambraseys (2009:338) states

[2] Nectarios Kretas (1768, 197; 1677, 198) and Eustratiades (1932, 1225) quote an Arabic synaxarium written at the monastery in February 1214. The day for prayers, 1 May, is the definitive date of the shock; Muslim sources all give 27 Dhul-Qada, which is 2 May [JW: 27 Dhu l-Qa'da A.H. 608 = 1 May 2012 CE] .

[3] This information is recorded by Nectarios, a Sinaite archbishop writing in 1658. He gives the date as 1312 or 1212, whereas Papamichalopoulos (1912, 29) places the earthquake on 1 May 1608 on the authority of Iosaph, which is not consistent with the other chronological elements in the account. These two sources have misled Ben-Menahem (1979, 258), who has 1312 (or 1608): the date should read 1212 (608 a.H.). See Melville (1984, 99).

Archaeoseismic Evidence

Location (with hotlink)	Status	Intensity	Notes
Jericho - Introduction	n/a	n/a	n/a
Jericho - Hisham's Palace	probable	≥ 8 9-10	Later Earthquake - Alfonsi et al (2013) dated the causitive earthquake for the major seismic destruction at Hisham's Palace to the earthquake of 1033 CE unlike previous researchers who dated it to one of the Sabbatical Year earthquakes. Their discussion is reproduced below: The archaeological data testify to an uninterrupted occupancy from eighth century until 1000 A.D. of the Hisham palace (Whitcomb, 1988). Therefore, if earthquakes occurred in this time period, the effects should not have implied a total destruction with consequent occupancy contraction or abandonment. Toppled walls and columns in the central court cover debris containing 750-850 A.D. old ceramic shards (Whitcomb, 1988). Recently unearthed collapses north of the court confirm a widespread destruction after the eighth century (Jericho Mafjar Project - The Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago). These elements support the action of a destructive shaking event at the site later than the 749 A.D. earthquake. The two well-constrained, major historical earthquakes recognized in the southern Jordan Valley are the 749 and 1033 A.D. (Table 1; Marco et al (2003); Guidoboni and Comastri, 2005). We assign an IX—X intensity degree to the here-recorded Hisham damage, whereas a VII degree has been attributed to the 749 A.D. earthquake at the site (Marco et al, 2003). Furthermore, Whitcomb (1988) defines an increment of occupation of the palace between 900 and 1000 A.D. followed by a successive occupation in the 1200-1400 A.D. time span. On the basis of the above, and because no pottery remains are instead associated with the 1000-1200 A.D. period at Hisham palace (Whitcomb, 1988), we suggest a temporary, significant contraction or abandonment of the site as consequence of a severe destruction in the eleventh century.
Petra - Introduction	n/a	n/a	n/a
Petra - Jabal Harun	possible	≥ 8	Phase 12 destruction event - not well dated - Mikkola et al (2008) noted that in this destruction event all remaining roof structures collapsed and there was a layer of stone tumble. Hard-packed, clayey soil directly under the lowermost deposits of stone tumble [...] contained relatively few finds apparently making it difficult to date. Also found in the stone tumble were the remains of two fallen arches, a row of voussoirs, some drums fallen from a column, and many other architectural elements found throughout the complex.
Petra - Petra Church	possible	≥ 8	Fiema et al (2001) characterized structural destruction of the church in Phase X as likely caused by an earthquake with a date that is not easy to determine. A very general terminus post quem of the early 7th century CE was provided. Destruction due to a second earthquake was identified in Phase XIIA which was dated from late Umayyad to early Ottoman. Taken together this suggests that the first earthquake struck in the 7th or 8th century CE and the second struck between the 8th and 16th or 17th century CE.
Petra - Blue Chapel and the Ridge Church	possible		Later undated earthquake(s)- Perry in Bikai et al (2020:70) noted that from the 8th c. A.D. on, the abandoned structures suffered extensive damage from repeated earthquakes.
Shivta	possible	≥ 8	Erickson-Gini (2013) identified earthquake collapse at Shivta which she dated to possibly in the Middle Islamic period after the site was abandoned at the end of the Early Islamic period. Korjenkov and Mazor (1999a) identified a post Byzantine earthquake which struck after 7th century CE abandonment. The terminus ante quem for this earthquake is not well established. Korjenkov and Mazor (1999a) estimated an Intensity of 8-9 for the post Byzantine earthquake and placed the epicenter a few tens of kilometers away in the WSW direction. They also report that a site effect is not likely at this location.
el-Lejjun	possible	≥ 8	4th Earthquake - ~600 CE - 1918 CE - Groot et al (2006:183) report discovery of a nearly complete Umayyad Lamp in Square 4 of Area B (Barracks - B.6.038) in the Post Stratum Gap - above and later than the 3rd earthquake layer. Above the Ummayyad lamp was a 0.7 m thick layer of tumble containing some roof beams and many wall blocks (Groot et al, 2006:183). They note that the basalt roof beams found embedded in the lowest tumble level (B.6.032) suggests initial massive destruction rather than gradual decay over time. The wall blocks, found in the upper layer of tumble, contained one late Islamic (1174-1918 CE) and one Ayyubid/Mamluk (1174-1516 CE) sherd indicating a significant amount of time may have passed between the possibly seismically induced roof collapse and the wall collapse which was not characterized as necessarily having a seismic origin. This opens up the possibility that one of the mid 8th century CE earthquakes or a later earthquake may have also caused damage at el-Lejjun. deVries et al (2006:196) suggests that Umayyad abandonment of the northwest tower was probably triggered by further major collapse. In the North Gate, deVries et al (2006:207) found evidence of full scale destruction in layers above 3rd earthquake debris and post-earthquake occupation layers which contained Late Byzantine/Umayyad and Umayyad sherds. Subsoil/tumble was found in C.9.008 (north room), C.9.009 (south room) and C.9.005 (stairwell) bear ample witness to the destruction of the rooms, perhaps in the Umayyad period. Although Late Byzantine sherds were found in Post Stratum layers in the North Gate, if one assumes that the 3rd earthquake was the Inscription at Aeropolis Quake which struck before 597 CE - probably within a decade of 597 CE, one can establish an approximate and fairly conservative terminus post quem for this earthquake of ~600 CE. While the terminus ante quem is the end of the post stratum III gap (1918 CE), it is probable that that the earthquake struck much earlier.
Castellum of Qasr Bshir	possible	≥ 8	Later Earthquake(s) - Above what was presumed to be a Late Umayyad collapse layer Clark (1987:490) found another collapse layer in H.2 A period of abandonment followed [the Late Umayyad collapse], punctuated by a squatter occupation of the room, during which a fire was lit in the corner. There followed a major collapse of masonry, after which no further occupation of the room took place.
Location (with hotlink)	Status	Intensity	Notes

Jericho and environs - Introduction

Jericho and environs - Hisham's Palace at the Khirbet el-Mefjer site

Petra - Introduction

Petra - The Petra Church

Petra - The Ridge Church and the Blue Chapel

Castellum of Qasr Bshir

Landslide Evidence

Tsunamogenic Evidence

Paleoseismic Evidence

Location (with hotlink)

Status

Intensity

Notes

Jordan Valley - Tell Saidiyeh and Ghor Kabed Trenches

possible

≥ 7

Dead Sea - Seismite Types

n/a

Dead Sea - En Feshka

possible to probable

8.1 - 8.9 (12 cm.)

8.0 - 8.8 (28 cm.)

8.1 - 8.9 (40 cm.)

Kagan et. al. (2011) identified several seismites from around this time.

Depth (cm.)	Thickness (cm.)	Seismite Type	Modeled Age (± 1σ)	Modeled Age (± 2σ)	Quake Assignment (Kagan)	Quake Assignment (Williams)
12	7	4	1277 CE ± 17	1303 CE ± 64	1293 CE Quake	1293 CE Quake
28	2	4	1220 CE ± 21	1222 CE ± 46	1202 CE Quake and 1212 CE Quake	not assigned
40	6	4	1170 CE ± 20	1168 CE ± 43	1170 CE Quake	not assigned

Dead Sea - En Gedi

possible to probable

8.1 - 8.9

Seismites assigned to earthquakes in 1202, 1212, and 1293 CE

Figure 10

Photo of a section of the Ein Gedi core containing three breccia layers with the respective dates of earthquakes. The 1202 A.D. event is barely determined because the 1212 event almost obliterated the 10-yr-old breccia. Nonetheless, a few laminae (arrow) can be resolved above event horizon 1202 A.D. Migowski et al. (2004) have inferred five unresolved events by correlation of the lamina-counting record of breccia layers with the historical record of destructive earthquakes.

Agnon et al (2006)

from Agnon et al (2006)

Migowski et. al. (2004) assigned a 1212 CE date to a 4.2 cm. thick Type 4 seismite at a depth of 103.07 cm. (1.0307 m).

Dead Sea - Nahal Ze 'elim

possible

8.2 -9.0

At site ZA-1, Ken-Tor et al (2001a) assigned a a date of 1212 CE to a ~10 cm. thick Type 4 seismite which they labeled as Event E and was dated between 1220 and 1390 CE (± 2σ). In Table 4 of Kagan et. al. (2011), a 10.5 cm. thick seismite at ZA-1 was associated with the 1212 CE earthquake. At site ZA-2, Kagan et. al. (2011) did not find any seismites whose time window encompassed 1212 CE.

Araba - Introduction

n/a

Araba - Qasr Tilah

unlikley to possible

≥ 7

Haynes et al. (2006) dated Events II and III to between the 7th and 12th centuries CE.

Araba - Taybeh Trench

unlikely

LeFevre et al. (2018) did not assign any seismic events to an earthquake in 1212 CE.

Araba - Qatar Trench

probable

≥ 7

Klinger et. al. (2015) identified one seismic event which fits.

Event	Mean Date	Age Range	Quake Assignment (Klinger)	Quake Assignment (Williams)
E2	1212 CE ± 57	1155-1269 CE	1212 CE Quake	not assigned

Araba - Taba Sabhka Trench

possible

≥ 7

Allison (2013) assigned a 1068 CE date to a seismic event which they dated to between 1045 and 1661 CE and Allison (2013) assigned a 1212 CE date to a seismic event which they dated to between the mid 11th century CE and the 16-17th centuries CE.

Araba - Shehoret, Roded, and Avrona Alluvial Fan Trenches

possible to probable

≥ 7

Events 7, 8, and 9 in Trench T-18 have a wide spread of ages however, taken together, the evidence suggests the 1212 CE, 1068 CE, and one earlier earthquake, perhaps between ~500 CE and 1000 CE, struck the area. Zilberman et al (2005) also discovered an early Islamic ranch in the western part of Avrona playa. The ranch was dated to the 11th century CE and was abandoned during the same century - an abandonment which Zilberman et al (2005) attributed to the effects of the 1068 CE earthquake. They measured 1 m of displacement of a Qanat (a covered water canal) on the ranch which they also attributed to the 1068 CE earthquake although it is possible that the displacement was caused by an earthquake which struck the area in 1212 CE.

Araba - Elat Sabhka Trenches

possible

Kanari et al (2020) suggested that a dewatering structure (aka a liquefaction fluid escape structure) found in Trench T1 and dated to before 1269-1389 CE was caused by the 1068 CE Quake(s) or the 1212 CE Quake.

Araba - Trenches in Aqaba

possible

≥ 7

Niemi (2011:153) noted that the most recent scarp-forming event fault [in Trench AQ-1] occurred after A.D. 1045-1278 based on a corrected, calibrated radiocarbon age from charcoal collected from a buried campfire at the base of the scarp in Trench T-1. This likely represents fault motion in one of the historical earthquakes affecting southern Jordan (e.g. 1068, 1212, 1458, or 1588).

Location (with hotlink)

Status

Intensity

Notes

Tell Saidiyeh and Ghor Kabed Trenches

Ferry et al (2011) detected 12 surface rupturing seismic events in 4 trenches (T1-T4) in Tell Saidiyeh and Ghor Kabed; 10 of which were prehistoric. The tightest chronology came from the Ghor Kabed trenches (T1 and T2) where Events Y and Z were constrained to between 560 and 1800 CE.

Note: Although Ferry et al (2011) combined archaeoseismic interpretations, their paleoseismic evidence, and entries from earthquake catalogs to produce earthquake dates and some overly optimistic probabilities, only the paleoseismic data is presented here. Ferry et al (2011)'s archaeoseismic data was researched and is treated separately.

Dead Sea - Seismite Types

Dead Sea - En Feshka

Kagan et. al. (2011) identified several seismites from around this time.

Depth (cm.)	Thickness (cm.)	Seismite Type	Modeled Age (± 1σ)	Modeled Age (± 2σ)	Quake Assignment (Kagan)	Quake Assignment (Williams)
12	7	4	1277 CE ± 17	1303 CE ± 64	1293 CE Quake	1293 CE Quake
28	2	4	1220 CE ± 21	1222 CE ± 46	1202 CE Quake and 1212 CE Quake	not assigned
40	6	4	1170 CE ± 20	1168 CE ± 43	1170 CE Quake	not assigned

Dead Sea - En Gedi

Seismites assigned to earthquakes in 1202, 1212, and 1293 CE

Figure 10

Photo of a section of the Ein Gedi core containing three breccia layers with the respective dates of earthquakes. The 1202 A.D. event is barely determined because the 1212 event almost obliterated the 10-yr-old breccia. Nonetheless, a few laminae (arrow) can be resolved above event horizon 1202 A.D. Migowski et al. (2004) have inferred five unresolved events by correlation of the lamina-counting record of breccia layers with the historical record of destructive earthquakes.

Agnon et al (2006)

from Agnon et al (2006)

Migowski et. al. (2004) assigned a 1212 CE date to a 4.2 cm. thick Type 4 seismite at a depth of 103.07 cm. (1.0307 m).

Dead Sea - Nahal Ze 'elim

Araba - Introduction

Araba - Qasr Tilah

Haynes et al. (2006) dated Events II and III to between the 7th and 12th centuries CE.

Araba - Taybeh Trench

LeFevre et al. (2018) did not assign any seismic events to an earthquake in 1212 CE.

Araba - Qatar Trench

Klinger et. al. (2015) identified one seismic event which fits.

Event	Mean Date	Age Range	Quake Assignment (Klinger)	Quake Assignment (Williams)
E2	1212 CE ± 57	1155-1269 CE	1212 CE Quake	not assigned

Taba Sabhka Trench

Shehoret, Roded, and Avrona Alluvial Fan Trenches

Events 7, 8, and 9 in Trench T-18 have a wide spread of ages however, taken together, the evidence suggests the 1212 CE, 1068 CE, and one earlier earthquake, perhaps between ~500 CE and 1000 CE, struck the area.

Zilberman et al (2005) also discovered an early Islamic ranch in the western part of Avrona playa. The ranch was dated to the 11th century CE and was abandoned during the same century - an abandonment which Zilberman et al (2005) attributed to the effects of the 1068 CE earthquake. They measured 1 m of displacement of a Qanat (a covered water canal) on the ranch which they also attributed to the 1068 CE earthquake although it is possible that the displacement was caused by an earthquake which struck the area in 1212 CE.

Araba - Elat Sabhka Trenches

Araba - Trenches in Aqaba

Notes

Ambraseys (2009)

AD 1212 May 1 Gulf of Aqaba

A damaging earthquake on 27 Dhu'l-Qa'da 608 a.H. in the Gulf of Aqaba and in south Palestine. At al-Shaubak and al-Karak, towers and houses were destroyed, killing a number of women and children (Ibn Kathir xiii. 62; al-Maqrizi I/1, 175; al-Suyuti 49/35). The earliest account says that it was strongest in the part of Aila (Eilat) that is by the sea^[1].

In the Sinai Peninsula, the shock caused severe damage to the monastery of St Catherine, destroying a major part of its fortifications and damaging the church. The northern wall of the monastery, with its northwest and northeast corners, collapsed. Of the cells, some were destroyed completely and others lost their roofs, apparently without loss of life. This was possibly due to the fact that the earthquake, which struck at dawn, had been preceded by a foreshock at sunset the previous evening (Monday 30 April), which might have served as a warning.

The shock triggered rock falls from the mountains behind the monastery, and was followed by aftershocks that continued for a year. The date of the earthquake was commemorated as a day for prayers and penitence^[2]. The walls and cells were almost immediately rebuilt with the assistance of the metropolitan, Gabriel of Supaki (Petra), whose caravan of builders originally sent to rebuilt the church at Agia Koryphi (Jabal Musa), which had been damaged by a previous shock, arrived at St Catherine's six days after the earthquake^[3]. The shock is also said to have caused damage at Qal'at al-Jundi in Sinai^[4], but the evidence is inconclusive. In Egypt, the shock was strongly felt in Cairo and Fustat and destroyed a number of houses. The location of the earthquake should be sought in the Gulf of Aqaba or south of the Dead Sea. No details of the shock are recorded for Syria or Damascus.

Footnotes

[1] Abu Shama, Dhail, p. 78. Strong winds and shooting stars were noticed the previous day.

[2] Nectarios Kretas (1768, 197; 1677, 198) and Eustratiades (1932, 1225) quote an Arabic synaxarium written at the monastery in February 1214. The day for prayers, 1 May, is the definitive date of the shock; Muslim sources all give 27 Dhul-Qada, which is 2 May [JW: 27 Dhu l-Qa'da A.H. 608 = 1 May 2012 CE] .

[3] This information is recorded by Nectarios, a Sinaite archbishop writing in 1658. He gives the date as 1312 or 1212, whereas Papamichalopoulos (1912, 29) places the earthquake on 1 May 1608 on the authority of Iosaph, which is not consistent with the other chronological elements in the account. These two sources have misled Ben-Menahem (1979, 258), who has 1312 (or 1608): the date should read 1212 (608 a.H.). See Melville (1984, 99).

[4] Ben-Menahem refers to Tamari (1977), who has a summary of the epigraphy relating to the Qal'at al-Jundi's construction history. One might infer from the last inscription, dated 1201(?), and a footnote referring to an edict of a certain Malik al-Kamil dated 1221(?), mentioned by Ibn al-Dawadari, that the fort was damaged by an earthquake during the intervening period. However, there is no such inference made by Tamari himself, and Ibn al-Dawadari's chronicle sheds no further light on the issue.

References mentioned

Nectarios Kretas (1768, 197; 1677, 198)

Nectarios Kretas (1658), Epitomi tis hierokosmikis historias, ed. S. Milias, Venice, 1677.

Nectarios Kretes, Patriarch of Jerusalem (1677) Epitomi tis ierokosmikis historias, 1st edn; also ed. S. Milias, Venice (1758).

Eustratiades, S.A. (1932) Oi en Byzantio megaloi kai katastreptikoi seismoi. Romanos o Melodos, I (Paris), 121-6.

Melville, C. P. (1984), ‘The use of historical records for seismic assessment’, in A. Brambati and D. Slejko (eds.), The O.G.S. Silver Anniversary Volume, Trieste.

Tamari, S. (1977), ‘Two further inscriptions from Qalat al-Gundi’, in Studies in Memory of Gaston Wiet, ed. Rosen-Ayalon, Jerusalem: Institute of Asian and African Studies, The Hebrew University, pp. 261–265.

Guidoboni and Comastri (2005)

(101) 1212 May 1 Gulf of Aqaba

sources Abu Shama, Dhayl, p.78; Ibn Kathir, al-Bidaya, XIII, p.62; al-Maqrizi, Kitab, p.175; al-Suyuti, Kashf, p.49
literature Taher (1979); Klinger et al. (2000)
catalogues d. Perrey (1850); Sieberg (1932a); *Ambraseys et al. (1994); Amiran et al. (1994)
catalogues p. Ergin et al. (1967); Poirier and Taher (1980); al-Hakeem (1988)

On 27 Dhu'l-qa'da in the year 608 of the Hegira (corresponding to 1 May 1212) there was a destructive earthquake in southern Palestine and Egypt, with the worst damage at Aylat (Elat) on the Gulf of Aqaba, where a great deal of destruction occurred. There were also widespread collapses, very serious damage and many victims not only at Cairo, where collapses occurred in both the old and new cities, but also at Al-Karak and Shubak (Ash Shawbak), two localities situated respectively to the east and south of the Dead Sea, in what is now Jordanian territory. There is also evidence that some towers collapsed in the citadel at Shubak (Jordan). The chief source for this earthquake is Abu Shama, an Arab historian and textual scholar from Damascus, who lived from 1203 to 1268:

During the night of 27 Dhul-qd da (1 May), there was a tremendous earthquake which destroyed many parts of old and new Cairo; it also destroyed towers and houses at Al- Karak and Shubak. Many women and children died in the ruins. The most violent shock was at Aylat, on the coast. It was said that the earthquake was preceded by a black wind and many falling stars.

The earthquake is also recorded in some chronicles compiled by Arab historians of later centuries. Thus Ibn Kathir (a 14th century historian from Damascus) records that

There was a very violent earthquake in Egypt and at Cairo, and many houses were destroyed. The same thing happened at Al-Karak and Shubak, and some of its citadel towers were destroyed. Many women and children died in the ruins.

Al-Mairizi, a geographer and scholar who lived in Cairo in the 14th century, records the earthquake in similar terms:

There was a violent earthquake in Egypt and at Cairo, and many houses were destroyed. There was also an earthquake at Al-Karak and Shubak and many people died in the ruins and a number of towers in its citadel were destroyed. And smoke was seen coming down from heaven to earth in Damascus between dusk and evening.

Finally, the famous Cairo historian al-Suyuti (16th century) records:

In the year 608 [H. = 1212-1213], there was a violent earthquake in Egypt and at Cairo, and many houses were destroyed. There was also an earthquake at Al-Karak and Shubak, and some towers in its citadel were destroyed and many people died in the ruins. Smoke was seen to come down from heaven to earth between dusk and evening at the tomb of Atika in the western part of Damascus.

Ambraseys et al (1994)

Fig. 2.12 1212 May 1, Dead Sea. (Ambraseys et al, 1994)

1212 May 1 27 Dhu'l-Qa'da 608 Dead Sea

A damaging earthquake in south Palestine also affected Egypt, where it was strongly felt in Cairo and Fustat and destroyed a number of houses. At al-Shaubak and al-Karak, towers and houses were destroyed, killing a number of women and children.¹ The earliest account says it was strongest in the part of Aila (Eilat) that is by the sea.²

In the Sinai Peninsula, the shock caused severe damage to the monastery of St Catherine, destroying a major part of its fortifications and damaging the church. The northern wall of the monastery, with its northwest and northeast corners, collapsed. Of the cells, some were destroyed completely and others lost their roofs, apparently without loss of life. This was possibly due to the fact that the earthquake, which struck at dawn, was preceded by a foreshock at sunset the previous evening (Monday 30 April), which might have served as a warning. The shock triggered rockfalls from the mountains behind the monastery, and was followed by aftershocks that continued for a year. The date of the earthquake was commemorated as a day for prayers and penitence.³ The walls and cells were almost immediately rebuilt with the assistance of the metropolitan, Gabriel of Supaki (Petra), whose caravan of builders originally sent to rebuild the church at Agia Koryphi (Jabal Musa), damaged by a previous shock, arrived at St Catherine's six days after the earthquake.⁴ The earthquake is also said to have caused serious damage at Qalat al-Jundi in Sinai,⁵ but the evidence is inconclusive.

The location of the earthquake should be sought in the Gulf of Aqaba or south of the Dead Sea. No details of the shock are recorded for Syria or Damascus (Figure 2.12).

Footnotes

1 Ibn Kathir, XIII, 62; al-Maqrizi, I/i, 175; al-Suyuti, p. 49/35.

2 Abu Shama, Dhail, p. 78; also Taher (1979), p. 137/82, 238. Strong winds and shooting stars were noticed the previous day.

3 Nectarios (1758), p. 197, (1677), p. 198 (see also next note) and Eustratiades (1932), p. 125, quote an Arabic synaxarium written at the monastery in February 1214. The day for prayers, 1 May, is the definitive date of the shock; Muslim sources all give 27 Dhu'l-Qa'da, which is 2 May.

4 This information is recorded by Nectarios, a Sinaite archibishop writing in 1658. He gives the date as 1312 instead of 1212, while Papamichalopoulos (1912), p. 29 places the earthquake on 1 May 1608 on the authority of Ioasaph, which is not consistent with the other chronological elements in the account. These two sources have misled Ben-Menahem (1979), p. 258, who has 1312 (or 1608): the date should read 1212 (608 H). See also Melville (1984a), p. 99.

5 Ben-Menahem refers to Tamari (1977), who has a summary of the epigraphy relating to Qal'at al-Jundi's construction history. One might infer from the last inscription, dated 1201 (?) and a footnote referring to an edict of al-Malik al-Kamil dated 1221 (?), mentioned by Ibn al-Dawadari, that the fort was damaged by an earthquake during the intervening period. However, there is no such inference made by Tamari himself, and Ibn al-Dawadari's chronicle sheds no further light on the issue

References mentioned

Nectarios Kretes, Patriarch of Jerusalem (1677) Epitomi tis ierokosmikis historias, 1st edn; also ed. S. Milias, Venice (1758).

Eustratiades, S.A. (1932) Oi en Byzantio megaloi kai katastreptikoi seismoi. Romanos o Melodos, I (Paris), 121-6.

Papamichalopoulos, C. N. (1912), I moni tou orous Sina, Athens–Cairo

1212 CE Quake

1 May 1212 CE

by Jefferson Williams

Introduction & Summary

Textual Evidence

Archaeoseismic Evidence

Landslide Evidence

Tsunamogenic Evidence

Paleoseismic Evidence

Notes

Paleoclimate - Droughts

References