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History & Culture
Vol. 51, No. 2, Issue 103
Autumn & Winter 2019-2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22067/jhc.v51i2.88580
Email: z.fazli@alzahra.ac.ir
Confrontation of the Abbasids and Umayyads of Andalusia with
the Fatimids in the Maghrib
Dr. Zeinab Fazli, Assistant Professor,Department of The History of Islamic Culture and
Civilization, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, Al-Zahra University, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract:
With the rise of the Fatimids in the Maghrib at the beginning of the fourth century
AH, the clash of Islamic states entered a new level. The efforts of the Fatimid ruling
system to establish an all-inclusive Ismaili caliphate elicited a backlash from the
Abbasid and Umayyad of Andalusia in the east and west of the world of Islam.
Although a raft of historical and political obstacles inhibited an official and practical
alliance between the two governments to confront the Fatimids, each state adopted
specific measures to deal with Fatimids, prevent the expansion of their territory, curb
their power and debilitate their strength. According to the findings of this historical
study, the Abbasids, by thwarting the Fatimid domination in Egypt, erecting a
defensive barrier by establishing the Ikhshidid dynasty and casting doubt on the
Fatimid lineage. Meanwhile, deterring the expansion of Fatimid occupation in Iraq
played a crucial role in provoking and fueling the internal crisis in the West. The
Umayyads of Andalusia also responded to Fatimid opposition by espousing groups
that opposed the Fatimid caliphate, disputing the caliphate, orchestrating military
actions, and consolidating their presence in the Maghrib. As a result of these actions,
the Fatimids faced a plethora of internal crises and revolts and tapered off their power
for putting up a unified and inclusive front against Abbasid and Umayyad
governments.
Keywords: Islamic Maghrib, Fatimid Caliphate, Abbasid-Fatimid Confrontation,
Conflict between Umayyads Andalusian and Fatimids
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