Al-Muizz Lideenillah

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Early Imams

Ali • Hasan • Husayn al-Sajjad • al-Baqir • al-Sadiq Ismail • Muhammad Ahmad • at-Taqi • az-Zaki al-Mahdi • al-Qa'im • al-Mansur al-Muizz • al-Aziz • al-Hakim az-Zahir • al-Mustansir • Nizar al-Musta'li • al-Amir • al-Qasim

Contemporary Leaders

Aga Khan IV Mohammed Burhanuddin al-Fakhri Abdullah Taiyeb Ziyauddin Saheb Mowafak Tarif

Maˤād al-Muˤizz li Dīni l-Lāh (932–975) (Arabic: معاذ المعز لدين الله), also known as al'Moezz, was the fourth Fatimid Caliph and reigned from 953 to 975. It was during his caliphate that the center of power of the Fatimid dynasty was moved from Ifriqiya (northern Africa) to the newly-conquered Egypt. Fatimids founded the city of Al-Qahiratu (Cairo) in 969 as the new capital of Egypt.^[1]

History

After the Fatimids, under Ismail al-Mansur (946-953), had defeated the rebellion of Abu Yazid, they began, under his son Muˤizz, to turn their attentions back to their ambition of establishing their Caliphate throughout the Islamic world and overthrowing the Abbasids. Although the Fatimids were primarily concerned with Egypt and the Near East, there were nevertheless campaigns fought by General Jawhar as-Siqilli against the Berbers of Morocco and the Umayyads of Spain. At the same time, Fatimid raids on Italy enabled naval superiority in the Western Mediterranean to be affirmed, at the expense of Byzantium.

The way to Egypt was then clear for the Fatimids, the more so given the state of crisis that the incumbent Ikhshidid dynasty found itself in and the inability of the Abbasids to counterattack. The country fell to Jawar in 969 without any great resistance. After he had secured his position, al-Muˤizz transferred the royal residence from Al-Mansuriya to the newly-founded city of al-Qāhiratu l-Muˤizz "Muˤizz's Victoria", i.e. Cairo, thereby shifting the centre of gravity of the Fatimid realm eastwards. In Africa, the Zirids were installed as regents. In Egypt, several attacks by the Carmathians had to be fought off (972-974) before the restructuring of state finances under Yaqub ibn Killis could be embarked upon. Al-Muˤizz was succeeded by his son Al-Aziz (975-996).

Al-Muizz was renowned for his tolerance of other religions, and was popular among his Jewish and Christian subjects. He is credited for having commissioned the invention of the first fountain pen.

Notes

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