Al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah
The ambitious Fatimid caliph who conquered Egypt and founded the city of Cairo, establishing an imperial capital that would last a millennium.
Born 932 (age 1094)·Fatimid caliph from 953 to 975·Birthday: September 26
Biography
Al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah was a ruler of grand vision and meticulous planning. As the fourth Fatimid caliph, he inherited a powerful North African empire but looked east to the richer lands of the Nile. His reign was defined by the carefully orchestrated conquest of Egypt, not as mere plunderers but as sovereigns intending to stay. In 969, his general Jawhar al-Siqilli captured the region and, following Al-Mu'izz's detailed instructions, laid out a new royal city adjacent to the old capitals: al-Qahira, or Cairo. A few years later, Al-Mu'izz himself made the long journey from his capital in Mahdia to take up residence, bringing with him the coffins of his ancestors to symbolically transplant the dynasty's heart. His rule in Egypt was marked by intellectual patronage, religious tolerance for the majority Sunni population, and administrative reforms that stabilized Fatimid power, setting the stage for Cairo's future as one of the world's great cultural and political centers.
#1 When Al-Mu'izz Was Born
The biggest hits of 932
Al-Mu'izz's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
932Born
937Started school
945Became a teenager
948Could drive
950Could vote
953Turned 21
962Turned 30
972Turned 40
982Turned 50
992Turned 60
1002Turned 70
1012Turned 80
2026Age 1094 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Oversaw the Fatimid conquest of Egypt in 969, moving the center of the empire from Ifriqiya (modern Tunisia) to the Nile Valley.
- Founded the city of Cairo (al-Qahira) as the new imperial capital of the Fatimid Caliphate.
- Established Al-Azhar mosque and university in Cairo, which later evolved into a preeminent center of Islamic learning.
- Presided over a period of significant economic prosperity and cultural flourishing in the Fatimid state.
Did You Know?
He was known for his knowledge of languages, reportedly speaking Berber, Sudanese (Nubian), Slavic, and Arabic.
He brought the remains of his predecessors with him when he moved to Cairo, burying them in the city he founded.
The famous Al-Mu'izz Street in historic Cairo, lined with medieval monuments, is named in his honor.
Under his rule, the Fatimid Empire reached its greatest territorial extent, stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea.
“Cairo will be the capital of my empire, a bridge between the Maghrib and the Mashriq.”
