Contents

Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents v
3. Boxes vi
4. Illustrations vii
5. Introduction: The Question of Empire 1
6. 1. The Coming of the Mahdī 13
7. 2. The City of the Mahdī 38
8. 3. The Conquest of Egypt 60
9. 3. The Conquest of Egypt 84
10. 5. The Formation of the Empire 106
11. 6. A Failure of Direction: The Reign of al-Óākim bi Amr Allāh 125
12. 7. The Regime of the Pen 157
13. 8. The Crisis of the Empire 180
14. 9. The Fatimid Renascence 207
15. 10. The Reorientation of the Dynasty 233
16. 11. The Final Failure 262
17. Conclusion: The Fatimids in Retrospect 296
18. Genealogy of Shīʿite Imāms 304
19. Genealogy of Fatimids 305
20. Bibliography 307
21. Index of Persons 318
22. Index of Dynasties, Peoples and Sects 330
23. Index of Places 333
24. Index of Subjects 336