The Fatimid Caliphate (909-1171) was the great Ismaili Shia empire that ruled North Africa, Egypt, Sicily, the Hijaz (Mecca and Medina), and parts of the Levant for 262 years. They claimed descent from Fatima, the daughter of Prophet Muhammad (hence the name "Fatimid"). They were rivals to both the Sunni Abbasid Caliphate in Baghdad and the Umayyad Caliphate in Cordoba. At its peak, the Fatimid Empire stretched from Morocco to Syria. Their capital, Cairo (al-Qahira - "The Victorious"), founded in 969, became one of the greatest cities in the world. They built Al-Azhar University (970), the oldest continuously operating university on Earth. They were tolerant: Christians, Jews, and Sunnis served in their government. But internal decay, civil wars, and the Crusades weakened them. In 1171, the great Sunni general Saladin abolished the Fatimid Caliphate and returned Egypt to the Abbasid fold. The Fatimids... faded into history. But their legacy (Cairo, Al-Azhar) lives on.
Summary: The Fatimid Caliphate (909-1171). Ismaili Shia dynasty. Capital: Mahdia (909-969), then Cairo (969-1171). Founded Cairo 969. Built Al-Azhar University 970 (oldest university). Ruled North Africa, Egypt, Sicily, Hijaz. Tolerant of other religions. Declined due to internal strife, Crusades, and the rise of Saladin. Saladin abolished the caliphate 1171.
🏙️ The Founding of Cairo: 969 AD
In 969, the Fatimid general Jawhar al-Siqilli (a former Christian slave from Sicily) conquered Egypt from the Abbasids without a fight. He founded a new capital north of the old city of Fustat. He named it "al-Mansuriyya" (after the Fatimid Caliph al-Mansur). But Caliph al-Muizz renamed it "al-Qahira al-Muizziyya" (The Victorious [City] of al-Muizz) — hence "Cairo." Jawhar built the al-Azhar Mosque (970), which became a university — the oldest continuously operating educational institution in the world. Cairo quickly became one of the wealthiest and most cosmopolitan cities on Earth. The Fatimids also built the great palace complex (Bayn al-Qasrayn) which housed 30,000 people. Today, Cairo is the largest city in the Arab world (22 million people). It all began with a Fatimid general.
🕌 Al-Azhar University: 1,055 Years of Learning
Al-Azhar was founded in 970 AD as a mosque dedicated to Fatima al-Zahra (the Prophet's daughter). It became a university in 988, teaching Shia Ismaili theology. After Saladin abolished the Fatimid Caliphate (1171), Al-Azhar was converted to Sunni teaching. But it survived. For 1,055 years, it has been a center of Islamic learning. It is the oldest university in the world (Bologna, founded 1088, is older as a "university" in the Western sense, but Al-Azhar has continuously taught students since 970-988). Today, Al-Azhar University has 2 million students and is the most prestigious institution in Sunni Islam. The grand imam of Al-Azhar is one of the most influential religious figures in the Muslim world.
"Cairo is the city of a thousand minarets. It was born from the vision of the Fatimids."
Legacy
"The Fatimids left an indelible mark on the Islamic world. Cairo — the largest Arab city — was their creation. Al-Azhar — the oldest university — was their legacy. Their architecture (the Al-Hakim Mosque, the Al-Aqmar Mosque) still stands. Their tradition of tolerance (employing Christians and Jews) was remarkable for its time. The Druze sect originated from Fatimid Ismaili thought (during the reign of the eccentric Caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, 996-1021). The Fatimids were the last great Shia caliphate until the Safavids of Iran (1501). For 262 years, they were the wealthiest and most powerful Muslim dynasty."