Al-Amir

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Al-Āmir bi'Aḥkāmi l-Lah (1096–1130) (Arabic: الآمر بأحكام الله‎) was the tenth Fatimid Caliph (1101–1130).

Like his father al-Musta‘lī (1094–1101), al-Āmir was controlled by the regent al-Afdal Shahanshah (1094–1121) and had little influence in political matters. However, after the overthrow of al-Afdal in 1121 he managed to gain control of government. His reign was marred by the loss of Tyre to the Crusaders, as well as by the continuation of the Ismā‘ilī Shī‘ah schism between the Nizārī and the Musta‘liyyah. This conflict climaxed in the assassination of al-Āmir on October 7, 1130.

Al-Āmir is the last Fatimid Caliph recognized as Imām (hereditary leader of the Muslim community in the direct line of ‘Alī) by the Musta‘liyyah.

At his death, Al-Āmir had not named an heir to the Fatimid Caliphate, which led to further power struggles, through which Al-Hafiz, a cousin of al-Āmir, eventually came to power, while the Taiyabiah claimed that Taiyab abi al-Qasim was al-Āmir's rightful successor as Imām.

See also

• List of rulers of Egypt