Dr Shainool Jiwa, a specialist in Fatimid studies, and an Associate Professor at The Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) joins the Historical Association’s The Voice of History podcast to explore the political, intellectual and cultural significance of the Fatimid Caliphate, illuminating a dynasty that shaped the medieval Mediterranean and beyond.
The Fatimid Caliphate with Dr Shainool Jiwa
About the discussion
The conversation traces the dynasty’s rise in North Africa, its establishment in Egypt, and its influence across trade, scholarship and material culture, as well as its enduring legacy in living Ismaʿili communities today.
In this episode, she discusses:
- The Ismaʿilis within the broader context of Shiʿi Islam, including the Nizari and Mustaʿli traditions
- Abbasid rule, the persecution of Shiʿi groups, and the period of concealment in Ismaʿili history
- The Fatimids’ origins and their claim of descent from the Prophet Muhammad through his family
- The daʿwah (mission) in North Africa and the fall of the AghlabidsMuslim dynasty that ruled in North Africa (800–909), succeeded by the Fatimids. in 909 CE
- The expansion from North Africa to Egypt in 969 CE and the role of diplomacy in that transition
- Relations and rivalries with the AbbasidsMajor Muslim dynasty of Sunni caliphs that ruled in Baghdad (750-1258)., Byzantines and UmayyadsFirst major ruling Muslim dynasty that was based in Damascus (661-750). of al-Andalus
- Fatimid naval power, economic strength, and Mediterranean–Red Sea–Indian Ocean trade networks
