Editing Ismailism (section)

====Decline of the Caliphate====
In the 1040s, the [[Zirid dynasty]] (governors of the [[Maghreb]] under the Fatimids) declared their independence and their conversion to [[Sunni Islam]], which led to the devastating [[Banu Hilal]] invasions. After about 1070, the Fatimid hold on the [[Levant]] coast and parts of Syria was challenged by first [[Turkic peoples|Turkish]] invasions, then the [[First Crusade]], so that Fatimid territory shrunk until it consisted only of Egypt. Damascus fell to the [[Seljuk Empire]] in 1076, leaving the Fatimids only in charge of Egypt and the Levantine coast up to [[Tyre, Lebanon|Tyre]] and [[Sidon]]. Because of the vehement opposition to the Fatimids from the Seljuks, the Ismaili movement was only able to operate as a terrorist underground movement, much like the [[Order of Assassins|Assassins]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Saunder |first=J.J. |title=A History of Medieval Islam |year=1978 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=0-415-05914-3 |page=151}}</ref>

After the decay of the Fatimid political system in the 1160s, the [[Zengid dynasty|Zengid]] ruler [[Nur ad-Din, atabeg of Aleppo]] had his general, [[Saladin]], seize Egypt in 1169, forming the Sunni [[Ayyubid dynasty]]. This signaled the end of the Hafizi Mustaali branch of Ismailism as well as the Fatimid Caliphate.{{cn|date=May 2022}}