Download or read book The Empire of the Mahdi written by Heinz Halm and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2021-12-06 with total page 494 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the 9th century, a secret sect of the Ismā‘īlīs -- known in the Middle Ages under the name of Fatimids -- arose to play a prominent role in the history of the Near East. Their supreme head today is the Agha Khan. In this mesmerising book, Heinz Halm describes the early history of the Fatimids, from the founding and spread of the secret society to the rise of the caliphal dynasty to power in North Africa and the founding of Cairo, their capital.