(CE:1841a)
OMAR TOUSSOUN (1872-1944), prince of the Egyptian royal family, scholar, and philanthropist. There were few aspects of Egyptian progress that did not benefit from his support and his practical encouragement. He was particularly devoted to the interests of agriculture and agricultural workers. He was deeply interested in the history and the geography of Egypt in the nineteenth century, with special reference to the army and the fleet, as well as in relations with the Sudan. Moreover, he devoted much of his energy to Coptic history and archaeology, especially to Coptic monasteries in the region of Alexandria and Wadi al-Natrun. His writings in this area include Etude sur le Wadi Natroun, ses moines et ses couvents (Alexandria, 1931) and "Cellia et ses couvents" (Mémoires de la Société royale d'archéologie d'Alexandrie, 1935). He was honorary president of the SOCIETY OF COPTIC ARCHAEOLOGY. In 1935 he and the Coptic patriarch chaired the committee to support Ethiopia in its fight against Italian aggression by sending it a medical mission.
MIRRIT BOUTROS GHALI
Claremont Coptic Encyclopedia
