Fatimid caliphate

Fatimid Islamic Caliphate
الدولة الفاطمية ad-Dawlah al-Fāṭimiyya
909–1171
Capital		Raqqada (909–921) Mahdia (921–948) al-Mansuriya (948–973) Cairo (973–1171)
Languages		Arabic (Dominant and spoken Language) Judeo-Arabic (Arabic language with Hebrew characters) Berber African Latin
Religion		Ismaili Shia Islam
Government		Caliphate
Caliph
•	909–934 (first)	al-Mahdi Billah
•	1160–1171 (last)	al-'Āḍid
Historical era		Early Middle Ages
•	Established	January 5, 909
•	Foundation of Cairo	8 August 969
•	Disestablished	1171
Area
•	969	4,100,000 km² (1,583,019 sq mi)
Population
•	est.	6,200,000
Currency		Dinar
Preceded by Succeeded by Abbasid Caliphate Aghlabid Emirate Ikhshidid Wilayah Emirate of Tahert Ayyubid Sultanate Outremer Emirate of Sicily Zirid Emirate Hammadid Emirate

The Fatimid Caliphate (Arabic: الفاطميون‎‎, al-Fāṭimīyūn) was an Ismaili Shia Islamic caliphate that spanned a large area of North Africa, from the Red Sea in the east to the Atlantic Ocean in the west. The dynasty ruled across the Mediterranean coast of Africa and ultimately made Egypt the centre of the caliphate. At its height the caliphate included in addition to Egypt varying areas of the Maghreb, Sudan, Sicily, the Levant, and Hijaz.

The Fatimids claimed descent from Fatima bint Muhammad, the daughter of Islamic prophet Muhammad. The Fatimids conquered North Africa and their Fatimid state took shape among the Kutama Berbers, in the West of the North African littoral, particularly Algeria, in 909 conquering Raqqada, the Aghlabid capital. In 921 the Fatimids established the Tunisian city of Mahdia as their new capital. In 948 they shifted their capital to Al-Mansuriya, near Kairouan in Tunisia. In 969 they conquered Egypt and established Cairo as the capital of their caliphate; Egypt became the political, cultural, and religious centre of their empire.

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