The Rise of the Fatimids: The World of the Mediterranean and the Middle East in the Fourth Century of the Hijra, Tenth Century

Description

The book traces the rise of the Fatimid dynasty in the 4th century AH/10th century CE, from its origins in Islamic messianism to power in North Africa and Egypt, and a central position of influence throughout the Muslim world. The first part deals with the problem of Fatimid origins, the second with the establishment of the dynasty and its religious and political programme in North Africa, the third with the success of that programme in Egypt. Using the history of the Fatimids and their doctrine to survey the world of the Mediterranean and the Middle East in the 4th/10th century, the book offers a new interpretation of the role of the dynasty in the history of Islam down to the period of the Crusades. Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Table of Contents Preface Chapter One Introduction: The Fatimids in History Part One The Fatimid Revolution Chapter Two The Problem of Fatimid Origins Chapter Three Revolt in the East Chapter Four Revolution in the West Chapter Five The Appearance of the Mahdi Part Two North Africa and the Mediterranean Chapter Six The City of the Mahdi Chapter Seven The Doctrine of the Imam Chapter Eight The Horizons of Empire Part Three Egypt and the East Chapter Nine The Conquest of Egypt Chapter Ten The Pattern of the State Chapter Eleven The Circles of the World Chapter Twelve Conclusion: Melchizedek Bibliography Maps Indices Index of Persons, Personages Index of Dynasties, Peoples, Sects Index of Places Index of Subjects The Medieval Mediterranean Peoples, Economies and Cultures, 400–1453