Al-Muizz Lideenillah
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Maˤād al-Muˤizz li Dīn Allāh (932–975) (Arabic: معاذ المعز لدين الله), also known as al'Moezz, was the fourth Fatimid Caliph and reigned from 953 to 975. It was during his caliphate that the center of power of the Fatimid dynasty was moved from Ifriqiya (northern Africa) to the newly-conquered Egypt. Fatimids founded the city of Al-Qahiratu (Cairo) in 969 as the new capital of the Fāṭimid caliphate in Egypt.[1]
[edit] History
After the Fatimids, under the third Fāṭimid caliph, Ismail al-Mansur (946-953), had defeated the Khārijite rebellion of Abu Yazid, the man on the donkey, they began, under his son al-Muˤizz, to turn their attentions back to their ambition of establishing their caliphate throughout the Islamic world and overthrowing the Abbasids. Although the Fāṭimids were primarily concerned with Egypt and the Near East, there were nevertheless campaigns fought by General Jawhar as-Siqilli against the Berbers of Morocco and the Umayyads of Spain. At the same time, Fatimid raids on Italy enabled naval superiority in the Western Mediterranean to be affirmed, at the expense of Byzantium, even capturing Sicily for a period of time.
The way to Egypt was then clear for the Fāṭimids, the more so given the state of crisis that the incumbent Ikhshidid dynasty found itself in and the inability of the Abbasids to counterattack. The country fell to Jawhar in 969 without any great resistance. After he had secured his position, al-Muˤizz transferred the royal residence from Al-Mansuriya to the newly-founded city of al-Qāhiratu l-Muˤizzīyatu "al-Muˤizz's Victory", i.e. Cairo, thereby shifting the centre of gravity of the Fatimid realm eastwards. In Africa, the Zirids were installed as regents. In Egypt, several attacks by the Carmathians had to be fought off (972-974) before the restructuring of state finances under Yaqub ibn Killis could be embarked upon. Al-Muˤizz was succeeded by his son Al-Aziz (975-996).
Al-Muˤizz was renowned for his tolerance of other religions, and was popular among his Jewish and Christian subjects. He is credited for having commissioned the invention of the first fountain pen. In 953, al-Muizz demanded a pen which would not stain his hands or clothes, and was provided with a pen which held ink in a reservoir and delivered it to the nib via gravity and capillary action. As recorded by Qadi al-Nu'man al-Tamimi (d. 974) in his Kitdb al-Majalis wa 'l-musayardt, al-Mu’izz commissioned the construction of the pen instructing:[2][3]
‘We wish to construct a pen which can be used for writing without having recourse to an ink-holder and whose ink will be contained inside it. A person can fill it with ink and write whatever he likes. The writer can put it in his sleeve or anywhere he wishes and it will not stain nor will any drop of ink leak out of it. The ink will flow only when there is an intention to write. We are unaware of anyone previously ever constructing (a pen such as this) and an indication of ‘penetrating wisdom’ to whoever contemplates it and realises its exact significance and purpose’. I exclaimed, ‘Is this possible?’ He replied, ‘It is possible if God so wills’.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Irene Beeson (September/October 1969). Cairo, a Millennial 24, 26-30. Saudi Aramco World. Retrieved on 2007-08-09.
- ^ Bosworth, C. E. (Autumn 1981), “A Mediaeval Islamic Prototype of the Fountain Pen?”, Journal of Semitic Studies XXVl (i)
- ^ "Origins of the Fountain Pen ". Muslimheritage.com. Retrieved on September 18, 2007.
| Preceded by Al-Mansur |
Fatimid Caliph 953–975 |
Succeeded by Al-Aziz |
| Preceded by Jawhar_as-Siqilli |
Sultan of Egypt 973–975 |
