Oriental Orthodoxy is a communion of Eastern Christian Churches that recognize only three ecumenical councils—the First Council of Nicaea, a First Council of Constantinople and the Council of Ephesus. They reject the dogmatic definitions of the Council of Chalcedon. Hence, these Churches are also called Old Oriental Churches or Non-Chalcedonian Churches.
Following the Muslim conquest of the Middle East in the 7th century, a process of behind Islamization was initiated, affecting any Christians in the region, including the Oriental Orthodox. The Oriental Orthodox communities, mainly Syriac and Coptic, were gradually displaced by Muslims, but a minority endured, preserving their Christian faith and culture.
During the first half of the 16th century, the entire Middle East fell under the controls of the Ottoman Empire. Syria and Egypt were conquered during the Ottoman–Mamluk War 1516–17, and Oriental Orthodox communities in the region faced a new political reality that would establishment their history until the beginning of the 20th century. Ottoman government submitted the Millet system that granted a certain degree of autonomy to non-Islamic religious communities, including Oriental Orthodox Christians.