The Historians' History of the World 08

1408 Death of Muhammed. His exiled brother Yusuf III obtains the throne. This event marks the end of internal tranquillity in the kingdom, and the beginning of its downfall.

1423 Death of Yusuf. His son Muhammed (VII) Al-Haizar succeeds. Many revolts follow.

1426 Muhammed’s cousin Muhammed (VIII) Az-Zaguir deposes him and seizes the throne.

1428 Muhammed VIII put to death by the Christians and Africans. Muhammed VII is restored.

1431 Invasion of Granada by the Castilians. The Moors are defeated, whereat they depose Muhammed, and declare Yusuf Al-Hamar king. He dies in six months, and Muhammed is again restored.

1435 The Castilians again invade Granada, and take Huesca.

1445 Deposition of Muhammed by his nephew Muhammed Osmin. His entire reign is troubled by a rival claimant, his cousin, Muhammed b. Ismail, who has support of Juan II of Castile.

1454 Muhammed (X) Ismail finally gets the throne from his cousin. He quarrels with the Castilians, who defeat him, and take the Ximena from him.

1466 Death of Muhammed. His son Mulei Ali Abul-Hassan succeeds.

1478 War with Castile renewed when Abul-Hassan refuses to pay tribute.

1482 Disastrous defeats of the Moors. Alhama taken. Abul-Hassan’s son Abu Abdallah (Boabdil) revolts against him.

1483 Slight gain of Abul-Hassan over the Christians. Abu Abdallah, encouraged by Ferdinand of Castile and Aragon in his rebellion, is proclaimed king by one faction.

1484 Abul-Hassan compelled to resign his crown, and his brother Abdallah Az-Zagal is made king, as rival to Abu Abdallah. Ferdinand, taking advantage of this internal discord, makes great progress with his arms.

1487 Surrender of Malaga to Ferdinand, after long siege and several defeats of Abdallah. Ferdinand takes other towns.

1488 New Malaga surrenders to Ferdinand.

1489 Surrender of Guadix, Almeria, and Baza.

1490 Abdallah surrenders all his territories to Ferdinand. Abdallah still holds Granada.

1491 Ferdinand begins siege of Granada.

1492 Surrender of Granada. Abu Abdallah is pensioned, and returns to Africa. End of Mohammedan dominion in Spain.

THE FATIMITE DYNASTY OF EGYPT (908-1171 A.D.)

Fatimites claim descent from Mohammed through his daughter Fatima wife of Ali, although their title to this claim is disputed. First to claim power is

908 Obaid Allah, a pontiff of the Ismailian sect, who is proclaimed Al-Mahdi. Displaces Aglabites in Kairwan. Makes his capital at Mahdiya, on the coast, to be safe from Berbers and to establish strong sea power. Fatimites oppose Aglabite emirs in Sicily.

916 Fatimite and Aglabite contentions in Sicily enable Latins and Italians, in alliance with Byzantines, to drive Saracens out of Italy.

917 Akhmed, Aglabite emir of Sicily, defeated at sea. Fatimites control Sicily. They attack Liguria, and take Genoa; attack Omayyads by sea—also come in contact with Omayyads on land.

924 Fatimites conquer Fez, capital of Edrisites. Northern Africa, with exception of Egypt, under Fatimite rule; Omayyads kept out during life-time of Obaid Allah. When Fatimite capital is removed to Cairo, Jusuf b. Zairi is left as governor in this region. His descendants become independent, and rule until displaced by Almoravids.

936 Death of Obaid Allah, succeeded by his son Abul-Kasim, who had conquered Alexandria in 919, but was soon driven out again.

945 Al-Mansur succeeds his father Abul-Kasim; makes friends with Arabian Shiites in Hedjaz and Yemen.

953 Muiz ad-Din succeeds Al-Mansur.

969 Sends army under Jauhar against Egypt; enters Fostat. Becomes first Fatimite caliph in Egypt. Hedjaz and Yemen acknowledge his supremacy. Syria also added to his dominions.

972 Fatimites found New Cairo. Great mosque Al-Azhar built, university of Egypt, still filled with students from all parts of the Mohammedan world. Soon after, Fatimite fleet meets Byzantine off Damascus, but no battle is fought.

973 Caliph sends embassy to Otto the Great. Egypt invaded by Hassan, who is defeated.

975 Death of Muiz, succeeded by his son Al-Aziz. Jaufar sent against Iftikir, Turkish chief in Damascus; is defeated, but Iftikir afterwards conquered by Aziz at Ramla.

981 Fatimites take Damascus.

982 Battle between Fatimites and Otto II in Calabria. Emperor defeated.

996 Death of Aziz, succeeded by his son Al-Hakim.

1006 Hisham, an Omayyad prince of Spain, invades Egypt; at first successful, afterwards captured and put to death by caliph.

1010 Hakim destroys Christian churches in Syria. Founds sect of Druses. Is murdered by his sister, who becomes regent, in

1021 for his son Dhahir. Dhahir makes treaty with Byzantine Romanus Argyrus, permitting him to rebuild church in Jerusalem. From Dhahir’s reign dates decline of Fatimite power in Syria.

1023 Aleppo taken by Salih ben Mardas, and Ramla by Hassan of the tribe of Tai.