One of the most prosperous and influential dynasties of the Muslim world, the Fatimids (909–1171) were distinguished by their Imam-caliphs, who asserted religious as well as political authority in direct descent from the family of the Prophet. Their conquest of Egypt in 969 marked the inception of a burgeoning Mediterranean empire. From there, they refined their systems of administration, judiciary, and governance, instilling principles of inclusion which contributed to stability during their caliphate. Fatimid Cairo flourished as a vibrant cultural and intellectual centre through patronage of the arts, architecture, and scholarship.
This book continues the story of the Fatimids from their newly founded capital of Cairo. Introducing the figures who moulded the empire, Shainool Jiwa charts the Fatimids’ expansion, the reasons behind their ultimate fall by the hand of Saladin, and the legacy that continues with the living Ismaili communities today. This lively and engaging work, including maps and colour images, draws on a broad range of primary sources to lead readers through two centuries that witnessed the triumphs and trials of the only sustained Shi’i caliphate to rule across the medieval Islamic world.
Author(s): Shainool Jiwa
Series: World of Islam
Publisher: I.B. Tauris
Year: 2014
Language: English
Pages: 248
City: London
Cover
Title page
Copyright page
Contents
Acknowledgements
Note on the Text
Introduction
Chapter 1 The Arrival of the Fatimids in Egypt
The Fatimids in North Africa
The Entry into Egypt
Chapter 2 The Genesis of Fatimid Rule in Egypt
Egypt: The Gift of the Nile
Egyptian Witnesses of a New Age
The Spread of the Empire
Neighbours and Rivals
The Consolidation of Egypt and the Final Years of al-Muʿizz’s reign
Chapter 3 Towards an Inclusive Empire
The People of Egypt
The Struggle for Syria and the Inclusion of the Turks
The New Administration of Egypt
Managing Diverse Communities
Chapter 4 The Composition of the State
Cairo: A New Metropolis
The Government Diwans
The Pillars of Law and Justice
The Public Ceremonials
The Last Campaign of al-Aziz
The Succession of al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah
The Fatimid Daʿwa and the Abbasid Resurgence
Chapter 5 Science and Scholarship in the City Victorious
Towards a Knowledge Society
The Scientists of Cairo
The Fatimid Daʿwa in the New Millennium
Turmoil and Restoration of Order
The Demise of al-Hakim and the Rise of Sitt al-Mulk
Chapter 6 The Empire of the Seas
The Fatimid Mapmaker
The Fatimid Seafaring World
Tinnis: The City of Five Thousand Looms
Connections to the Indian Ocean
Chapter 7 The Fluctuations of Fatimid Rule
Al-Musabbihi and the Yearning for Past Years
The New Regencies
Al-Muʾayyad fi’l-Din al-Shirazi
Hakim Nasir-i Khusraw
Egypt’s Great Calamity
From Empire to Egyptian State
The Question of Succession
The Flourishes of the Fatimid Daʿwa
Chapter 8 Late Fatimid Egypt and the Heirs of Empire
The Fatimids and the Onset of the Crusades
The Egyptian Revival
The Renewal of Art, Architecture, and the Moonlit Mosque
The Consolidation of the Nizari Daʿwa in Iran
Al-Amir’s Decree
The Question of Succession
The Hafizi Dawla
The Tayyibi Daʿwa in Yemen
The Finale of Fatimid Rule
Conclusion: Glimpses of the Fatimid Legacy
Glossary
Notes
Further Reading
List of Illustrations
Index
World of Islam Series
The Institute of Ismaili Studies
