Grade 11 and 12 – 2nd quarter revision booklet

by

0

The rule of Fatimids

In 969 the Fatimi army invaded Egypt and reached Fustat.

Al Muizz li Din Allah al Fatimi, who claimed descent from the prophet through his daughter Fatima and the prophet`s cousin Ali, was the fourth caliph of North African kingdom (Fatimi kingdom).

The schism that had rent the Muslim empire into Sunni and Shii factions had given birth to an offshoot of Shii Islam known as Ismaili. An Ismaili missionary had made his way from Baghdad to North Africa.

Empire that Fatimi created was from Fes in modern day Morocco to the frontiers of Egypt, and their followers accepted their claims of prophetic descent.

On several prior occasions The Fatimi army had invaded and briefly occupied Egypt, only to be driven out.

The Fatimi armies used the moment of the weakness of the state and the lack of efficient successors and opened the way for what became an easy conquest of Egypt.

            The only one until modern days that came from the west.

Al Muizz was a highly educated man who was also a born statesman and a wise and generous ruler.

            He prepared invasion on Egypt carefully.

Wells were dug along the route to Egypt, treasure collected and payment lavished.

            The invading army was aided by a series of natural catastrophes in Egypt (famine, plague, death of Kafur had left Egypt in chaos).

On 1st July the Fatimi army entered the Egyptian capital.

Building of new capital: The new city was square. Maghrebi astrologers consulted the stars waiting for an omen. They found the planet Mars in the ascendancy at that time, al Qahir in Arabic, so the new city was named al Qahira (Cairo).

Al Muizz sends the grain and food to Egypt to help the people during the famine.

In 970 new mosque was built, known as the Mosque of Al Azhar (named after Fatima al Zahra, the prophet`s daughter).

The population of Egypt accepted without protest the rule of Shii, even though they were Sunni, for his rule brought plenty and security.

                        Fatimids didn`t try to impose their beliefs on the population.

Soon the holy cities Mecca and Medina accepted suzerainty of Muizz, as did northern Syria and after a series of battles the rest of Syria.

The empire was ruled by people espousing a different form of Islam from that of the common people. The differences were highlighted by a Fatimi ruler who imposed extraordinary laws on the population and by the presence of foreign soldiers.

Egyptians felt isolation from the rest of Sunni world. They have to counter a different interpretation of their religious beliefs and a different intellectual tradition.

When Muizz finally arrived to Egypt in 973, the learned men of Egypt gathered to meet him and asked him to present them with his credentials and his genealogy before they could accept him without reservation as a descendant of the Prophet.

Qahira was the residence of the new caliph, his family, servants and retainers, who were said to number eighteen thousand.

Muizz had brought with him a great fleet. Soon Egyptian harbors were expanded.

The centre for Islamic trade and commerce had clearly shifted from Baghdad to Cairo.

The Fatimi army, which on first arriving in Egypt had been a homogeneous grouping of Berber tribesmen soon, lost both its homogeneity and its discipline when Turkish mercenaries and Sudanese troops from south were added.

Muizz`s son, Aziz, succeeded his father to the throne and, while he was a wise ruler who gave his administrators fixed salaries to end any corruption, he was also the one who imported the Turkish troops.

Aziz`s son, Al Hakim, was an enigma, if not an eccentric.

                        Strange laws were passed.

                        Minorities enjoyed privileges.

                        The caliph`s leading advisers were Christians.

1005 Al Hakim found the centre for learning called House of Wisdom.

Enormous library of books and was open for studies of science, law, theology.

            Hakim`s vizier, a man named Darazi, expounded the belief that Hakim was the incarnation of the godhead.

The citizens of capital found such belief intolerable. Turkish troops besieged the palace along with the population asking for Darazi`s head. Hakim helped him to get out from Egypt. Darazi fled to Lebanon where he founded the Druze sect in the mountains.

Hakim ordered prosecution of both Muslims and Christians, Hakim suddenly rescinded all his previous rules for Muslims, claiming that such laws had been of purely allegorical nature.

In 1021, Hakim, who liked to wander alone in the hills around Cairo, disappeared. His body was never found and Druze believes that one day he will reappear to reveal truth and usher in the Day of Judgment.

Hakim`s successors were incompetent and unable to control over all its territories for long.

            Famine and revolt lasted for six years until 1027.

            North African territories returned to local rulers and to the Sunni fold. Syria and Sicily were lost too.

In spite of these losses Egypt continued to prosper for a long time, for trade and commerce flourished.

During the rule of al Mustansir, The black regiments controlled Upper Egypt, while Turkish regiments controlled the capital.

The first Crusade had begun its march into Muslim territory and captured Jerusalem by 1099.

The Crusaders came when there was a power vacuum in the region.

1117. Egypt was invaded by the Crusaders.

In northern Syria, Nur al Din Zanji had established his power and annexed Damascus in 1154.

Questions:

  1. When Fatimid army invaded Egypt and reached Fustat?
    1. 969
    2. 1054
    3. 848
  2. What moment did The Fatimi armies used to open the way for what became an easy conquest of Egypt?
    1. The moment when Egypt was in full power.
    2. The moment of the weakness of the state and the lack of efficient successors.
    3. The moment of the transition in the state.
  3. The conquest of Fatimi was the only one until modern days that came from?
    1. East
    2. North
    3. West
  4. The new city Al Qahira founded by Muizz was called after the planet?
    1. Mars
    2. Venus
    3. Pluto
  5. The population of Egypt accepted the rule of Shii?
    1. After huge protest
    2. Without protest
    3. c.     With small complains
  6. 6.       What did the learned men of Egypt asked Muizz before they could accept him without reservation as a descendant of the Prophet?
    1. To be a good ruler
    2. to present them with his credentials and his genealogy
    3. to be merciful
  7. The first Crusade had begun its march into Muslim territory and captured Jerusalem by
    1. 784
    2. 1590
    3. 1099
  8. Put (T) for true or (X) for false for each sentence
    1. Fatimids didn`t try to impose their beliefs on the population.
    2. During the Fatimi rule Egyptians didn`t felt isolation from the rest of Sunni world.
    3. Muizz had brought with him a great fleet. Soon Egyptian harbors were expanded.
    4. In 1021, Hakim, who liked to wander alone in the hills around Cairo, disappeared.
    5. Hakim`s successors were competent and able to control over all its territories for long.

The Rule of Ayyubi dynasty

1099. Crusade captured Jerusalim in moment of power vacuum in the region.

1117. Egypt was invaded and unstable.

1154 Nur al Din Zanji had established power and annexed Damascus.

                        Crusader kingdom of Jerusalem was vulnerable and insecure.

Nur al Din Zanji didn`t wanted to allow Egypt, a Muslim country, to fall under the rule of Crusaders.

                                    Vizirs of Egypt were divided, one took side of Nur al Din another of Crusaders.

                                    On three occasions the armies of these two states invaded Egypt.

                        In 1169 the Syrian troops of Zanji came to Egypt for defense against Crusaders.

                                    Fustat was set on fire to make it of little use to the Crusaders.

The leader of these troops was appointed vizier by Fatimi caliph. He was successes by his nephew SALAH AL DIN AYYUB – SALADIN.

Saladin determined to bring the Fatimi dynasty to an end.

Saladin`s reputation in Egypt rose after series of fights with Crusaders which ended in victory.

Egyptians who remained Sunni probably welcomed a Sunni vizier instead of Shiia Fatimid rulers.

1170 Saladin founded three schools to re educate the Egyptians in the path of orthodoxy – centers of intellectual life.

During the Ayyuby rule Egypt once more became the centre of a Sunni Muslim empire. The rulers were identified as heroes of Islam, even though ethnically they were Kurdish and Turkish.

After the death of Zandji, Saladin began a phase of expansion into Syria and wars against the Crusaders aimed at liberating the Holy land.

In Cairo Saladin built himself a citadel on a hill overlooking the city.

Because of war campaigns, Saladin spends a little time in Egypt. Instead of him Egypt was ruled by his brother Safadin and his vizier, al Fadil, as well as eunuch, Qaraqush.

 1171 Fatimi dynasty ended after 2 centuries of rule.

  • Egypt become center of Ayyubid empire
  • Saladin began a phase of expansion into Syria and wars against Crusaders aiming liberation of the Holy Land
  • He conquered Syria, Iraq
  • He made a treaty between Muslim lands to keep the peace among themselves

1179 Saladin won victory over Crusaders at Marji Uyun

            He tried to make blockade of the sea as Crusaders were economic danger as well as religious one.

1187 Battle of Hittin – victory over Crusaders and finishing conquest of Palestine

  • Liberation of Holy land and Jerusalem

1193. Saladin died

  • Saladin`s sons started fighting for kingdom
  • Saladin`s brother seized power from his incompetent nephews
  • 1201 – 2 Low Nile caused famine and distress in the land.

The Ayyubis were good rulers:

                        They improved the irrigation system,

                        Extended canals, dykes and dams,

                        Ensured public security,

                        Founded a number of scholarly institutions

The Ayyub ruler Al Salih Ayyub, added a new regiment to his army, a regiment of slaves of Turkic origins. These slaves, nown as mamluks, an Arabic word meaning ‘owned’, were both to save his kingdom and destroy his dynasty at one and the same time.

            The Crusaders landed in Damietta and made the mistake of waiting there until the Nile waters flooded the land and the delta turned into a swamp. A giant of a man named al Zahir Baibars al Bunduqdari with the Mamluk forces stopped Crusaders.

            The Mamluks saved Egypt for the last Ayyubi ruler who was assassinated by mamluks a little bit after.

Shajar al Durr was choosen by the army to rule over Egypt until her infant son was old enough to rule. Her brief reign is unique in the annals of Muslim history, for a woman ruled in her own right and her name was struck on coins.

            From the age of the mamluks onwards Egypt is again dominated by rulers who are alien in ethnicity and in language, for they were Turkish speaking.

            The population nevertheless accepted the rule of the mamluks, but did not indentify with it, and in most cases they suffered it and survived until better days came round.

Questions:

  1. When Egypt was invaded by the Crusaders.
    1. 1117
    2. 1480
    3. 845
    4. What rose Saladin`s reputation in Egypt?
      1. Economical reforms
      2. Lowering prices of food
      3. Series of fights with Crusaders which ended in victory
    5. What was the main aim of Saladin?
      1. Liberation of Holy land and Jerusalem
      2. Building Egypt as economical power
      3. Education of people
    6. Ayyubid rulers were ethnically?
      1. Kurdish and Turkish
      2. Egyptians
      3. Berber
    7. Put (T) for true or (X) for false for each sentence
      1. Saladin determined to bring the Fatimi dynasty to an end.
      2. In Cairo Saladin built himself a citadel on a hill overlooking the city.
      3. Because of peace time, Saladin spends a lot of time in Egypt.
      4. Saladin made a treaty between Muslim lands to keep the peace among themselves

The age of Mamluks 1250-1516

1258. Hulagu, grandson of Genghis Khan had razed the fabled city of Baghdad

            The end of Abbasy rule in eastern Muslim world

            Hulagu`s army moved westward to occupy Syria

Mamluks of Egypt were only army capable of standing up to the Mongols.

            Under leadership of Baibars they defeated the Mongols in the battle of Ain Jalut

1260 Baibars took title SULTAN (means power) caliph was not in use because it reminded on losing dynasty of Abbassides.

The Mamluk period is divided in two parts

            1250 – 1382- Bahari (river) Mamluks

                                    -lived in the barracks on the island Roda

                                    -Turkic origins – mercenaries

            1382- 1516 – Burgi (citadel) Mamluk

                                    -they were quartered in the citadel

                                    – Turco- Circassian, Greek origins

Young Mamluks were brought as young slaves from the Russian Urals, central Asia steppes of the Caucasus Mountain. They were trained by other Mamluks, converted to Islam, they were taught Arabic, martial arts and horsemanship.

The young Mamluks were cut off at an early age, from their families and people, the focus of their loyalty and affection became the mamluk household and its members.

The early age was characterized by a centralized form of government with one mamluk sultan reigning over the country and imposing his authority over the rest of the mamluks, who were his retainers in the board sense.

The second period of Mamluks involved decentralizes system where the sultan was “the first among equals”

Al Zahir Baibars was the real founder of the Bahri dynasty and the Mamluk empire.

            Organized the army and the navy

            Empire from the Taurus mountains to Egypt

            Died from poison

His general Qalawun succeeded him and founded a ruling house that lasted for a century.

            Battle in Syria with Mongols

            He built a first hospital in Egypt in a complex that included his tomb mosque – beautiful example of mamluk architecture.

After the weak rule of Qalawun older son, younger, al Nasir came to power on three separate occasions.

Nasir third and the last reign, from 1310 – 1341, was one of the most brilliant periods of mamluk government. The age was one of plenty and well being, rich in men of learning and of knowledge. His age was apex of culture and civilization.

14th century brought the Black Death which destroyed the old trading system; it carried off one third of Egyptian population. Industry and commerce also lacked manpower.

41 years after Nasir`s death twelve of his descendants were placed on the throne as puppet rulers to be manipulated by mamluk amirs who fought for supremacy.

The Burgi mamluks ruled from 1382 to 1517.

            Circassian and Greek descent

            No hereditary principle in succession.

            23 sultans came to power, of whom six ruled for a total of 103 years. Only 9 sultans are worth remembering, the rest rose and fell very rapidly.

The mamluk sultan Barsbay, who ruled from 1422-1438 devoted his attention to the Indian trade and managed to squeeze more profits from it.

Sultan Qaitbay enjoyed the longest reign of any mamluk sultan since al Nasir, ruling for 29 years from 1468 to 1496.

He was a great builder of roads, bridges, mosques, schools and forts, not only in Egypt, but in Syria, Mecca and Jerusalem.

Sufi monasteries were built.

Restoration of economic prosperity

By the end of 15th century the Ottomans had once again become a mighty force, expanding in Europe, Asia bordering with mamluk`s territories on the North and capturing northern parts f Syria and the Euphrates.

In august 1516 forces of Ottoman and Mamluk armies met in the plain of Marj Dabiq north of Aleppo and the mamluk forces suffered a resounding defeat.

            The mamluks entered the battle with the Ottomans expecting to face the enemy in a normal hand to hand battle. Instead they were met by deadly hail of gunpowder.

            The ottomans won the battle through superior technology, but also through a rumor that al Ghuri had been killed.

1517 Ottomans entered the Cairo, Bab Zuwaila.

Questions:

  1. What was the only army capable of standing up the Mongols?
    1. Abbassi
    2. Mamluks of Egypt
    3. Ayyubi army
    4. What title did Mamluk ruler took?
      1. King
      2. Sultan
      3. Caliph
      4. Bahari Mamluks lived on the island
        1. Roda
        2. Nelson
        3. Zamalek
        4. Explain origins and describe the life of young Mamluks?

Young Mamluks were brought as young slaves from the Russian Urals, central Asia steppes of the Caucasus Mountain. They were trained by other Mamluks, converted to Islam, they were taught Arabic, martial arts and horsemanship.

The young Mamluks were cut off at an early age, from their families and people, the focus of their loyalty and affection became the mamluk household and its members.

  1. Who was the real founder of the Bahri dynasty and the Mamluk Empire?
    1. Saladin
    2. Al Zahir Baibars
    3. Qaitbay
    4. The early age was characterized by
      1. a decentralizes system where the sultan was “the first among equals”
      2. a centralized form of government with one Mamluk sultan reigning over the country
      3. a chaotic state system
      4. Why Ottomans did won the battle against Mamluks?
        1. The Ottomans won the battle by spying Mamluks
        2. The Ottomans won the battle through superior technology
        3. The Ottomans won the battle cause they had huge army
        4. Put (T) for true or (X) for false for each sentence
          1. Sultan Qaitbay was a great builder of roads, bridges, mosques, schools and forts, not only in Egypt, but in Syria, Mecca and Jerusalem.
          2. The Mamluks entered the battle with the Ottomans expecting to face the enemy in a battle using gunpowder.

Leave a comment