Makuria

Long, long ago, there was a cool kingdom called Makuria. It was in a place that is now part of Sudan and Egypt, right along the big Nile River. Think of it like a long, green ribbon of land next to a desert. Their capital city was called Dongola, and it was a super important place. This kingdom was like a big, strong family that grew and changed over many years, making its own history.

Makuria started after another kingdom, Kush, became too small. At first, it was just a part of the Nile Valley. But then, around the year 500, they built their capital, Dongola. A little while later, they decided to become Christians! This was a big change. Later, they even took over a kingdom next door, so they became even bigger and stronger, right next to Egypt.

One really amazing thing Makuria did was make a peace treaty with a group of people called Arabs. This treaty, called the Baqt, was like a promise to not fight. In exchange for peace, Makuria had to send 360 slaves every year. This treaty was so strong that it lasted for a super long time, until the 13th century! That's like a promise lasting for hundreds and hundreds of birthdays.

Between the years 900 and 1100, Makuria was like a superstar! They built amazing buildings, like a special Throne Hall and a big church shaped like a cross. They also made beautiful paintings on walls and fancy pottery. People in Makuria even started writing more in their own language, Nubian. It was a time of lots of creativity and showing off their cool culture.