The Fatimid Caliphate

Diversity of Traditions

The Fatimids ruled much of the Mediterranean world for over two centuries. From the conquest of Ifriqiya in 909 to defeat at the hands of Saladin in 1171, the Fatimid caliphate governed a broad area stretching, at its peak, from the Red Sea in the East to the Atlantic Ocean in the West. Their leaders - the Ismaili Shi?i Imam-caliphs - were notable for largely pursuing a policy of tolerance towards the various religious and ethnic communities of their realm, and they embraced diverse approaches to administering a vast empire. Such methods of negotiating government an diversity created a lasting pluralistic legacy. The present volume, edited by Farhad Daftary and Shainool Jiwa, brings together original contributions from a number of leading authorities in the field. Based on analyses of primary sources,the chapters shed fresh light on the impact of Fatimid rule. The book presents little-explored aspects of state-society relations such as the Fatimid model of the vizierate, Sunni legal responses to Fatimid traditions, and the role of women in prayer. Highlighting the distinctive nature of the Fatimid empire and its legacy, this book will be of special interest to researchers in medieval Islamic history and thought.