Fatimid Cosmopolitanism : History, Material Culture, Politics and Religion

I.B. Tauris in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies. Historical documentation and archaeological material have revealed that the Fatimids once presided over a diverse, multicultural state composed of Muslims, Christians, Jews and other religious traditions, as well as people from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds.Such diversity stimulated intercultural contact and exchange across the Mediterranean, the Middle East and the Indian Ocean. This open access book sheds light on the cosmopolitan environment that was engendered during Fatimid rule and how the Fatimids impacted the region.The Fatimids have often been overshadowed in academic research with attention placed more broadly on other dynasties, namely, the Abbasids, Mamluks or Ottomans.Across 22 chapters, this book provides a comprehensive contribution to Fatimid studies that updates and extends the existing scholarship.It addresses numerous Fatimid topics including: an analysis of state decrees and da’wa activities; the