Egypt was directly ruled by the Abbasids between 132 and 358 / 750 and 969. Its agricultural and commercial activities provided valuable revenues, and its location acted as a gate to North Africa. A governor supported by an army and an administrative elite, was appointed to manage Egypt. Fustat – on the eastern bank of the River Nile and south of Cairo – was the main commercial capital. The city still had a majority population of Coptic Christians and the Mosque of ‘Amr Ibn al-‘As was the main place of worship for Muslims. The governor and his army occupied the ‘Asakir district adjacent to Fustat.