Fatimid Empire at its Greatest Extent
Eastern Hemisphere, 1025ad.
The Fatimids, Fatimid Caliphate or al-Fātimiyyūn (Arabic
الفاطميون) is the Arab Shi'a dynasty that ruled over varying
areas of the Maghreb, Egypt, and the Levant from 5 January 910 to
1171, and founded the Egyptian city of Cairo as their capital. The
term Fatimite is sometimes used to refer to the citizens of this caliphate. The ruling elite of the state belonged to the
Ismaili branch of Shi'ism. The leaders of the dynasty were also Shia Ismaili Imams, hence, they had a religious significance to Ismaili Muslims. They
are also part of the chain of holders of the office of Caliph, as recognized by most Muslims, the
only period in which the Shia Imamate and the Caliphate were
united to any degree, excepting the Caliphate of Ali himself.
The Fatimids were reputed to exercise a degree of religious tolerance towards non-Ismaili sects of Islam as well as towards
Jews and Coptic Christians.[1]
Rise of the Fatimids
The Fatimids had their origins in Ifriqiya (modern-day Tunisia and eastern Algeria). The dynasty was founded in 909 by ˤAbdullāh al-Mahdī Billah,
who legitimised his claim through descent from Muhammad by way of his daughter Fātima as-Zahra and her husband ˤAlī
ibn-Abī-Tālib, the first Shīˤa Imām, hence the name
al-Fātimiyyūn "Fatimid".
Abdullāh al-Mahdi's control soon extended over all of central Maghreb, an area consisting of
the modern countries of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya, which he ruled from Mahdia,
his newly-built capital in Tunisia.
The Fatimids entered Egypt in the late 900s, conquering the Ikhshidid dynasty and
founding a new capital at al-Qāhirat (Cairo) in 969.[2] The name was a reference to the planet Mars, "The Subduer", which was prominent
in the sky at the moment that city construction started. Cairo was intended as a royal enclosure for the Fatimid caliph and his
army, though the actual administrative and economic capital of Egypt was in cities such as Fustat
until 1169. After Egypt, the Fatimids continued to conquer the surrounding areas until they ruled from Tunisia to
Syria and even crossed over into Sicily and southern
Italy.
Under the Fatimids, Egypt became the center of an empire that included at its peak
North Africa, Sicily, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, the
Red Sea coast of Africa, Yemen and the Hejaz[citation needed]. Egypt flourished, and the Fatimids developed an extensive trade network in
both the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean.
Their trade and diplomatic ties extended all the way to China and its Song Dynasty, which eventually determined the economic course of Egypt during the High Middle Ages.
Unlike other governments in the area, Fatimid advancement in state offices was based more on merit than on heredity. Members
of other branches of Islam, like the Sunnis, were just as likely to be appointed to
government posts as Shiites. Tolerance was extended even to non-Muslims such as Christians and
Jews, who occupied high levels in government based solely on ability (exceptions to this
general attitude of tolerance include Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah).
Decay and fall
In the 1040s, the Zirids (governors of North Africa under the
Fatimids) declared their independence from the Fatimids and their conversion to "orthodox" Sunni Islam, which led to the
devastating Banū Hilal invasions. After about 1070, the Fatimid
hold on the Levant coast and parts of Syria was challenged first by Turkish invasions, then the Crusades, so that Fatimid territory
shrank until it consisted only of Egypt.
After the decay of the Fatimid political system in the 1160s, the Zengid ruler
Nūr ad-Dīn had his general, Shirkuh, seize Egypt from the
vizier Shawar in 1169. Shirkuh died two months after taking power, and the rule went to his
nephew, Saladin.[3] This
began the Sunni Ayyubid Dynasty.
Fatimid caliphs
- Abū Muḥammad ˤAbdu l-Lāh (ˤUbaydu l-Lāh) al-Mahdī
bi'llāh (909-934) founder Fatimid dynasty
- Abū l-Qāsim Muḥammad al-Qā'im bi-Amr
Allāh (934-946)
- Abū Ṭāhir Ismā'il al-Manṣūr bi-llāh (946-953)
- Abū Tamīm Ma'add al-Mu'izz li-Dīn Allāh
(953-975) Egypt is conquered during his reign
- Abū Manṣūr Nizār al-'Azīz bi-llāh
(975-996)
- Abū 'Alī al-Manṣūr al-Ḥākim bi-Amr Allāh
(996-1021)
- Abū'l-Ḥasan 'Alī al-Ẓāhir li-I'zāz Dīn Allāh
(1021-1036)
- Abū Tamīm Ma'add al-Mustanṣir bi-llāh
(1036-1094)
- al-Musta'lī bi-llāh (1094-1101) Quarrels over his succession led to the Nizari split.
- al-Āmir bi-Aḥkām Allāh (1101-1130) The Fatimid rulers of Egypt after him are not recognized as Imams by
Mustaali Taiyabi Ismailis.
- 'Abd al-Majīd al-Ḥāfiẓ (1130-1149)
- al-Ẓāfir (1149-1154)
- al-Fā'iz (1154-1160)
- al-'Āḍid (1160-1171).
Notes
- ^ Wintle, Justin (May 2003).
History of Islam. London: Rough Guides Ltd, 136-7. ISBN 184353018X.
- ^ Beeson, Irene (September/October 1969).
"Cairo, a
Millennial". Saudi Aramco World: 24, 26-30. Retrieved on 2007-08-09.
- ^ Amin Maalouf (1984). The
Crusades Through Arab Eyes. Al Saqi Books, 160-170. ISBN 0-8052-0898-4.
External links
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)