FAT’ IMITE DYNASTY

a line of caliphs claiming descent from Fatima, the favourite daughter of Mohammed, and of Ali her cousin, to whom she was married. In the year 909 Abu-Mohammed Obeidalla, giving himself out as the grandson of Fatima, endeavoured to pa himself off as the Mahdi or Me iah predicted by the Koran. Denounced as an impostor by the reignjag Caliph of Baghdad, he fied into EKegypt, became Caliph of Tunis, and s00n conquered all Northern Africa from the Straits of Gibraltar to the porders of Egypt. His son wrested HKegypt from the Abba sides in 970 aud founded Cairo. The Fatimite dynasty was extinguished in 1171, on the death of Al Adid, the fourteenth caliph, and a new line began with Salad in.