Fāṭimids (N Africa, Egypt, S Syria), 297-567 / 909-1171

The Fatimid Caliphate (909–1171) was a major Islamic dynasty that ruled North Africa, Egypt, and parts of southern Syria. As a Shi'a Ismaili state, it established Cairo as its capital and became a center of learning, trade, and culture. The Fatimids played a significant role in the religious and political history of the Islamic world.