Editing Caliphate (section)

== Fatimid Caliphate (909–1171) ==
{{Main|Fatimid Caliphate|Fatimid dynasty}}
[[File:Fatimid.jpg|thumb|right|Map of the Fatimid Caliphate at its largest extent in the early eleventh century]]

The Fatimid Caliphate was an [[Isma'ilism|Isma'ili Shi'i]] caliphate, originally based in [[Tunisia]], that extended its rule across the [[Mediterranean coast]] of Africa and ultimately made Egypt the centre of its caliphate. At its height, in addition to Egypt, the caliphate included varying areas of the [[Maghreb]], Sicily, the [[Levant]] and the [[Hejaz]].

The Fatimids established the Tunisian city of [[Mahdia]] and made it their capital city, before conquering Egypt and building the city of [[Cairo]] there in 969. Thereafter, Cairo became the capital of the caliphate, with Egypt becoming the political, cultural and religious centre of the state. Islam scholar [[Louis Massignon]] dubbed the fourth century AH /tenth century CE as the "[[Ismaili]] century in the history of Islam".<ref>Louis Massignon (1935). "{{lang|fr|italic=no|Mutanabbi devant le siècle ismaëlien de l'Islam}}". ''{{lang|fr|Mémoires de l'Institut Français de Damas}}''.</ref>

The term ''Fatimite'' is sometimes used to refer to the citizens of this caliphate. The ruling elite of the state belonged to the Ismaili branch of Shi'ism. The leaders of the dynasty were [[Imamah (Ismaili doctrine)|Ismaili imams]] and had a religious significance to Ismaili Muslims. They are also part of the chain of holders of the office of the caliphate, as recognised by some Muslims. Therefore, this constitutes a rare period in history in which the descendants of Ali (hence the name Fatimid, referring to Ali's wife [[Fatima]]) and the caliphate were united to any degree, excepting the final period of the [[Rashidun Caliphate]] under [[Ali]] himself.

The caliphate was reputed to exercise a degree of religious tolerance towards non-Ismaili sects of Islam as well as towards Jews, [[Maltese people|Maltese Christians]] and [[Copts]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Wintle |first=Justin |title=History of Islam |publisher=Rough Guides |year=2003 |location=London |pages=136–137 |isbn=978-1-84353-018-3}}</ref>

The Shiʻa [[Ubayd Allah al-Mahdi Billah]] of the [[Fatimid Caliphate|Fatimid dynasty]], who claimed descent from Muhammad through his daughter, claimed the title of caliph in 909, creating a separate line of caliphs in North Africa. Initially controlling [[Algeria]], [[Tunisia]] and [[Libya]], the Fatimid caliphs extended their rule for the next 150 years, taking Egypt and [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]], before the Abbasid dynasty was able to turn the tide, limiting Fatimid rule to Egypt. The Fatimid dynasty finally ended in 1171 and was overtaken by [[Saladin]] of the [[Ayyubid dynasty]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Baer |first=Eva |title=Metalwork in Medieval Islamic Art |year=1983 |publisher=[[SUNY Press]] |isbn=978-0-7914-9557-5 |page=xxiii |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s__yi4pD-VEC |quote=In the course of the later eleventh and twelfth century, however, the Fatimid caliphate declined rapidly, and in 1171 the country was invaded by [[Saladin|Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn]], the founder of the [[Ayyubid dynasty]]. He restored Egypt as a political power, reincorporated it in the [[Abbasid caliphate]] and established Ayyubid suzerainty not only over Egypt and Syria but, as mentioned above, temporarily over northern Mesopotamia as well. |access-date=7 April 2020}}</ref>