Jawhar al-Siqilli

Jawhar as- Siqilli, Arabic جوهر الصقلي, DMG Ǧauhar aṣ - Ṣiqillī († February 1 992 ), was an important military leader of the Fatimids. His other epithets were as- Saqlabi / الصقلبي / aṣ - ṣaqlabī /, the slave ', ar - Rumi / الرومي / ar - Rumi /, the Byzantines ', but especially al - Qa'id / القائد / al -qa ʾ id /, the army commander '.

Jawhar was born into a Christian family from Sicily (hence the nickname " the Sicilian " ) and came as a slave of Sabir al - Fata after Ifriqiya - at a time when Islam was followed by the Fatimids in Sicily. Because of his wisdom, he was gifted to Caliph al - Mansur Ismail. Under his son Abu Tamim al - Muizz ( 953-975 ) he reached his release and began his rise as a personal secretary of this caliph. Soon he was also the vizier and chief commander of the Fatimids. As such, he took over the expansion of the Fatimids again and captured 958 with the Zirids Fes in northern Morocco and came to the Atlantic before. Only the fortresses of Ceuta and Tangier could be held by the Umayyads from Córdoba.

After the western borders had been secured, came Jawhar as- Siqilli 969 prior to Egypt, and occupied by a victory at Giza on the Ichschididen the land of the Nile. The conquest had been prepared by a contract with the vizier of Ichschididen (guarantee of religious freedom for the Sunnis ), so that the Fatimids encountered no great resistance. First Jawhar reigned until 972 Egypt as viceroy.

As such, he founded the city of Cairo, which was to serve as the new residence of the Fatimid caliphs in Fustat on May 3, 970. While it was occupied after the conquest of Egypt nor Palestine, but could not be conquered Syria after a defeat against the Qarmatians in Damascus. But when the Qarmatians invaded Egypt, they could be defeated on December 22, 970 of Jawhar, north of Cairo. Nevertheless, the fighting lasted until 974 continues. To secure the southern border of Egypt sent an embassy was sent to the Christian kingdoms to Nubia.

After laying the residence to Cairo Jawhar fell on al - Muizz in disgrace. Under his successor al - Aziz ( 975-996 ), in his ascension to the throne Jawhar played an important role, but he was rehabilitated. By 979 he was again regent, but was finally removed from power after a campaign to Syria had failed again to Damascus. Jawhar died on 1 February 992