Abu Abdallah al-Shi'i

Abu Abdallah al-Shi'i was an Ismaili missionary who organized the Kutama Berbers, conquered Ifriqiya, and helped establish the Fatimid caliphate in the early 10th century.

Kutama Berbers: A Berber people of the central Maghreb who formed the core military support of the early Fatimid movement. Al-Shi'i built his movement among the Kutama, whose forces made his conquest possible.
Isma'ilism: A branch of Shia Islam that recognizes a line of Imams descended through Isma'il ibn Ja'far. Al-Shi'i's mission advanced the Ismaili line of Imams.
Al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah: The fourth Fatimid caliph, whose reign expanded Fatimid power into Egypt in 969. Al-Mu'izz inherited the state whose founding al-Shi'i helped secure.
Cairo: The Egyptian capital founded by the Fatimid general Jawhar in 969. The dynasty al-Shi'i helped establish eventually moved its political center to Cairo.
Aghlabid Emirate: A Sunni Muslim dynasty that ruled Ifriqiya from 800 until its overthrow by the Fatimids in 909. The Aghlabids were the regional power al-Shi'i displaced through military campaigns.
Fatimid Caliphate: An Ismaili Shia caliphate founded in North Africa in 909 that later ruled Egypt and other territories. Al-Shi'i's military success enabled the caliphate's founding.
Jawhar al-Siqilli: A Fatimid general who conquered Egypt in 969 and founded Cairo as the dynasty's new capital. Jawhar carried Fatimid expansion beyond the North African base al-Shi'i established.
Fatimid–Abbasid conflict: The political and religious rivalry between the Fatimid and Abbasid caliphates over authority in the Muslim world. Al-Shi'i's victories gave the Fatimids territory from which to contest Abbasid authority.
Ifriqiya: A historical region of North Africa centered on modern Tunisia and parts of eastern Algeria and western Libya. This was the territory al-Shi'i conquered before the Fatimids extended their rule.
Abd Allah al-Mahdi Billah: The first Fatimid caliph, who established his rule in Ifriqiya in 909. Al-Shi'i recognized al-Mahdi as the Imam and helped bring him to power.

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Ibrahim II of IfriqiyaRelated: His later organizing exploited political conditions that had deepened during Aghlabid rule.