Contents

Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents v
3. List of Illustrations vii
4. Acknowledgements viii
5. Chronology ix
6. Map of the Muslim Middle East xiii
7. Figures xiv
8. Introduction 1
9. 1 The Umayyad Empire and the Establishment of a Royal Court, 661–750 57
10. 2 Princesses, Concubines and Qahramanat under the ʿAbbasids: Gender and Politics, 749–1055 75
11. 3 The Kingdom of Eunuchs under the ʿAbbasids 142
12. 4 Fatimid Royal Women and Royal Concubines in Politics: The Rise of the First Queens of Islam 196
13. 5 The Fatimid Eunuchs and their Sphere 253
14. 6 The Seljuqs from Syria to Iran: The Age of Khatuns and Atabegs 285
15. 7 The Ayyubids: Their Two Queens and their Powerful Castrated Atabegs 349
16. Appendix 1: The Abbasid Caliphs from 749 to the Coming of the Seljuqs in 1055 411
17. Appendix 2: The Fatimid Caliphs, North Africa and Egypt 412
18. Appendix 3: Dynasties 413
19. Glossary 418
20. Bibliography 422
21. Index 437