Editing Arabs (section)

===== Fatimid era (909–1171) =====
{{main|Fatimid dynasty|Fatimid Caliphate}}
[[File:Skylitzes_Simeon_sending_envoys_to_the_Fatimids.jpg|thumb|Bulgarian emperor [[Simeon I of Bulgaria|Simeon]] (left) sending envoys to Caliph al-Mahdi (right). 12th-century miniature from the ''[[Madrid Skylitzes]]'']]
The Fatimid caliphate was founded by [[Abdullah al-Mahdi Billah|al-Mahdi Billah]], a descendant of [[Fatimah]], the daughter of Muhammad, the Fatimid Caliphate was a [[Shia Islam|Shia]] that existed from 909 to 1171 CE. The empire was based in North Africa, with its capital in [[Cairo]], and at its height, it controlled a vast territory that included parts of modern-day [[Egypt]], [[Libya]], [[Tunisia]], [[Algeria]], [[Morocco]], [[Syria]], and [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]]. The Fatimid state took shape among the [[Kutama]], in the West of the North African littoral, in Algeria, in 909 conquering [[Raqqada]], the [[Aghlabid]] capital. In 921 the Fatimids established the Tunisian city of [[Mahdia]] as their new capital. In 948 they shifted their capital to [[Mansouria, Tunisia|Al-Mansuriya]], near [[Kairouan]] in Tunisia, and in 969 they conquered Egypt and established Cairo as the capital of their caliphate.
[[File:Azhar mosque.jpg|left|thumb|[[Al-Azhar Mosque]] in [[Cairo|Cairo, Egypt]] in the [[Islamic Cairo|historic Islamic core of the city]], Cairo was established as the new capital of the [[Fatimid Caliphate]] in 970]]
The Fatimids were known for their religious tolerance and intellectual achievements, they established a network of universities and libraries that became centers of learning in the [[Muslim world|Islamic world]]. They also promoted the arts, architecture, and literature, which flourished under their patronage. One of the most notable achievements of the Fatimids was the construction of the [[Al-Azhar Mosque]] and [[Al-Azhar University]] in Cairo. Founded in 970 CE, it is one of the oldest universities in the world and remains an important center of Islamic learning to this day. The Fatimids also had a significant impact on the development of [[Schools of Islamic theology|Islamic theology]] and [[Fiqh|jurisprudence]]. They were known for their support of Shia Islam and their promotion of the [[Isma'ilism|Ismaili]] branch of Shia Islam. Despite their many achievements, the Fatimids faced numerous challenges during their reign. They were constantly at war with neighboring empires, including the Abbasid Caliphate and the [[Byzantine Empire]]. They also faced internal conflicts and rebellions, which weakened their empire over time. In 1171 CE, the Fatimid Caliphate was conquered by the [[Ayyubid dynasty]], led by [[Saladin]]. Although the Fatimid dynasty came to an end, its legacy continued to influence Arab-Islamic culture and society for centuries to come.<ref name="imamreza.net">Shorter Shi'ite Encyclopaedia, By: Hasan al-Amin, {{Cite web|title=Fatimid Dynasty in Egypt|url=http://www.imamreza.net/eng/imamreza.php?id=574|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100616060639/http://imamreza.net/eng/imamreza.php?id=574|archive-date=16 June 2010|access-date=5 October 2010}}</ref>