Muslim armies conquered most of Arabia by 633, followed by north Africa, Mesopotamia, and Persia, significantly shaping the history of the world through the spread of Islam. A major Ismaʿili Shiʿite dynasty, the Fatimids founded their own caliphate, in rivalry with the ʿAbbasids, and ruled over different parts of the Islamic world, from North Africa and Sicily to Palestine and Syria. Muslim armies conquered most of Arabia by 633, followed by north Africa, Mesopotamia, and Persia, significantly shaping the history of the world through the spread of Islam. Start studying AP world history Chapter 9. Examples of The Fatimid Caliphate in the following topics: Post-Byzantine Egypt. See more. Chinese urbanization, Silk Road, Maritime Silk Road, Confucianism, Buddhism Fatimid (făt`ĭmĭd) or Fatimite (–ĭmīt), dynasty claiming to hold the caliphate caliphate, the rulership of Islam; caliph, the spiritual head and temporal ruler of the Islamic state.In principle, Islam is theocratic: when Muhammad died, a caliph [Arab.,=successor] was chosen to rule in his place. The Fatimid conquest of Egypt took place in 969, as the troops of the Fatimid Caliphate under the general Jawhar captured Egypt, then ruled by the autonomous Ikhshidid dynasty in the name of the Abbasid Caliphate.. At home, the caliph was a sovereign, governing a vast empire and seeking to expand it by normal military and political means. Al-Afdal had, in effect, renounced the claims of the Fatimid Caliphate to the universal leadership of Islam. Bernard Lewis, p.9 3. At its peak, it was one of the largest empires in the history of the world. Cairo the capital of Egypt and the largest city in Africa The Fatimids had launched repeated invasions of Egypt soon after coming to power in Ifriqiya in 909, but they failed in the face of the still strong Abbasid Caliphate. mite A Muslim dynasty that ruled North Africa and parts of Egypt . 1. The petty remnants of the Fatimid state were brought to a final end by the Sunni Saladin in 1171 A.D. FOOTNOTES. [citation needed] At its height, in addition to Egypt, the caliphate included varying areas of the Maghreb, Sicily, the Levant and the Hejaz. Hints of the Fatimids’ downfall lurk in various corners of the gallery. The Rashidun Caliphate expanded gradually. FATIMIDS, relations with Persia. The dynasty ruled across the Mediterranean coast of Africa, and it was under its rule that Egypt became the center of the caliphate. He founded the Ayyubid dynasty and incorporated the Fatimid state into the Abbasid Caliphate. Key Terms Sunni : The branch of Islam that believes that a caliph should be elected by Muslims or their representatives and that Abu Bakr was the first caliph. Fatimid definition, any caliph of the North African dynasty, 909–1171, claiming descent from Fatima and Ali. During the 8th century, Islam spread throughout North Africa much like it had spread throughout the Middle East and Asia: quickly. Bernard Lewis, “An interpretation of Fatimid History” 2. Dynastic struggles later caused its decline, and it ceased to … Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Caliphate, the state comprising the Muslim community in the centuries after the death of Muhammad. Caliph Umar conquered more than 2,200,000 km² area in less than ten years and is known as the most powerful caliph in the history of Islam. Major Caliphates. Key Terms Sunni : The branch of Islam that believes that a caliph should be elected by Muslims or their representatives and that Abu Bakr was the first caliph. Umayyad (661-750 CE) - Under the rule of the Umayyad Caliphate, the Islamic Empire expanded rapidly to include much of northern Africa, western India, and Spain. Fatimid (făt`ĭmĭd) or Fatimite (–ĭmīt), dynasty claiming to hold the caliphate caliphate, the rulership of Islam; caliph, the spiritual head and temporal ruler of the Islamic state.In principle, Islam is theocratic: when Muhammad died, a caliph [Arab.,=successor] was chosen to rule in his place. Buyids and Seljuqs In the 10th century a tribal group from northern Iran, the Buyids, swooped on Baghdad and more or less confined the caliphs to a ceremonial role while they wielded effective power. The Fatimid architecture that developed in the Fatimid Caliphate (909–1167 CE) of North Africa combined elements of eastern and western architecture, drawing on Abbasid architecture, Byzantine, Ancient Egyptian, Coptic architecture and North African traditions; it bridged early Islamic styles and the medieval architecture of the Mamluks of Egypt, introducing many innovations. The Fatimid rulers saw themselves as rival caliphs to the Abbasids, and their avowed aim was to replace them as rulers of the entire Muslim world. The Fatimid period … Ruled by a caliph (Arabic khalifah, ‘successor’), the caliphate grew rapidly during its first two centuries.