What is fatimid empire ?

Fatimid dynasty, a political and religious dynasty that ruled an empire in North Africa and later the
Middle East from 909 to 1171 ce, unsuccessfully attempting to depose the Abbasid caliphs as rulers of
the Islamic world.

I research about the fatamids and then I wrote their rise fall and achievement so I can document it in my
research apper

In 1057–59, when a rebel commander in Iraq switched sides and declared the Fatimid caliph in Mosul
and then, for a year, in Baghdad itself, Fatimid expansion to the east achieved its pinnacle. The Fatimids
were unable to give support, and the Seljuq Turks drove the general out of Baghdad. This was a
watershed moment in Fatimid history, signaling the start of the decline of Fatimid power and Islam
influence.

The Fatimid attempt for Islamic leadership was unsuccessful for a variety of reasons. One was their
acceptance and adherence of a theological teaching that the Sunni majority eventually rejected. As a
doctrine, Fatimid Islamism was at odds with Islam's basic consensus, and its rejection became clear with
the Sunni renaissance of the 11th and 12th centuries. In the great 12th-century fight between Islam and
Christendom, there was little place for disagreement on the Muslim side, so the arrival of the Crusaders
indirectly guaranteed its fate.

The Fatimids had a number of achievements in their foreign operations, the most significant of which
was the conquest of Egypt. However, they experienced numerous reverses in Palestine and Syria, where
they were attacked by the Byzantines, Turks, and eventually the European Crusaders, in addition to local
opponents. The enormous Fatimid push to the east was slowed and halted in Syria, and it was there that
a new power formed that eventually defeated them.

These issues overseas undoubtedly fueled, and were fueled by, Egypt's growing unhappiness. The
caliphs first held complete personal control of matters, ruling over a mostly civilian government.
However, as the army's influence grew, factional conflicts occurred among the Amazigh, Turkish,
Sudanese, and Nubian forces. Fights between the various parties initially became a feature during the
reign of al-kim (reigned 996–1021), during which time the caliph's personal authority and religious
prestige began to wane, partially due to his own exceedingly erratic behavior. In the hands of their
viziers and generals, his successors were little more than puppets. Factional struggle plunged Egypt into
a vicious spiral of chaos and oppression during the long reign of al-Mustanir (reigned 1036–94).

Badr al-Jaml, a capable soldier, went to Cairo on the caliph's invitation in 1073 and seized control; in one
night, his officers rounded up the prominent generals and officials and executed them. He took on the
titles of commander of the army, director of missionaries, and vizier, signifying his command of the
military, religious, and bureaucratic organizations; he is best recognized for his military title. Badr al-Jaml
restored order and, for a time, even prosperity to the region. Egypt was ruled by a military
administration led by the commander of armies and backed up by his troops. Badr's son was the first to
succeed him, followed by a succession of military autocrats.
The Fatimid state was preserved from collapse by Badr and his successors, who postponed its conclusion
for nearly a century. In response to the Seljuq threat from the east, he launched an aggressive campaign
in Syria, Arabia, and other parts of the world, employing both religious and worldly weapons. The
Fatimids' forces, on the other hand, were repeatedly defeated in Syria, and their following in Arabia was
reduced to insignificance. Al-Afal, Badr's son and successor, effectively repudiated the Egyptian Fatimid
dynasty's claims to the universal caliphate.

Al-Afal was the one who chose the new caliph after al-Mustanir died in 1094. Nizr, Al-elder Mustanir's
son, had been nominated by Al-Mustanir and had been accepted by the Isml leaders. Amad, the younger
son, was an orphaned adolescent who would be completely reliant on his sponsor. Al-Afal married his
sister to Amad and proclaimed his brother-in-law al-Mustanir as caliph with the regnal name al-Mustal
(reigned 1094–1101) after al-death; Mustanir's in doing so, al-Afal fractured the sect from top to
bottom.

There was opposition even in Egypt. The Isml mission in Persia, Iraq, and Central Asia, commanded by
asan-e abb, refused to accept the new caliph and severed links with the Fatimid authority in Cairo. Asan-
e abb's new Isml movement, the Nizr Ismliyyah (often referred to as the Assassins by its enemies),
declared Nizr and his successors to be rightful imms and condemned the caliphs in Cairo as usurpers.
Even those Ismls who had embraced al-Mustal, primarily in Yemen, revolted in 1130 when al-son
Mustal's al-mir (reigned 1101–30) was assassinated by the Assassins and replaced by his cousin al-fi
(reigned 1130–49). Yemenis refused to recognize al-fi, claiming that al-mir had left an infant son who
was now the hidden .

Cairo was a colossal center for ornamental art, including ceramics, rock-crystal ewers, metalwork, glass,
wood sculptures, and ivory. The government facilitated the establishment of textile industries, which
produced the well-known Tiraz fabrics. This empire's artwork displays its inventiveness and brilliance.
They invented the technique of lustre etched on ceramics, and their artisans would sometimes use signs
to identify art items. The fashioning of jewelry and the creation of wooden sculptures required a great
deal of expertise and imagination. Geometric motifs, plants, animals, and human figural shapes were all
portrayed on the constructions. When it came to preserving their actual nature, they were ebullient.

Mosques were important centers for religious, social, political, intellectual, and judicial activities, and
they exemplified their Islamic traditions. The Al-Azhar mosque in Cairo, completed in 969-73 AD, was a
significant symbol of the Fatimid history and possessed divine significance. The mosque of Al-Hakim,
which was built between 997 and 1021 AD, was used for Islamic ceremonies and processions. The Al-
Aqmar mosque, which was completed in 1125 AD, was a magnificent landmark of the time. It features
lovely stone inscriptions and is a fine example of architectural skill and beauty.

The Fatimids amassed magnificent libraries containing over a million books. The caliphs aided scientific
inquiry and development by erecting massive public libraries.

The Madrasa Dar-al-Ilm (House of Knowledge), which was built in 1139 AD, served as a center of
learning and drew Muslims from all over the world. It provided a solid foundation on which to learn a
variety of disciplines. The Fatimid library possessed an extremely valuable collection. They had
meticulously organized the books into subject-specific groups for easy identification.
In 1123 AD, the Al-Azhar library was the most active institution, with 200,000 manuscripts and 2,400
brilliant copies of the Holy Quran. It contained humanities, science, literature, and religious publications.
Handwritten manuscripts by great calligrapher Ibn Muglah and others were also included. It also
included an autographed history copy by renowned historian Al Tabbari. All of these works were
available for free at the libraries.

In conclusion , From 909 to 1171 CE, the Fatimid dynasty governed an empire in North Africa and later
the Middle East, unsuccessfully seeking to oust the Abbasid caliphs as rulers of the Islamic world.
Fatimid dynasty, a political and religious dynasty that ruled an empire in North Africa and later the
Middle East from 909 to 1171 ce, unsuccessfully attempting to depose the Abbasid caliphs as rulers of
the Islamic world.

Evaluation :

The fatamids are an interesting empire that sparked the rise of many believes and how it evolved, the
content of philosophical questions are all discussed in this study. It was a lot of fun to find what I
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