Ruler
Jawhar al-Siqilli
Fatimid general who founded Cairo
969 – 992 CE
From his conquest of Egypt to his death; his birth year is unknown.
Biography
Commander of the army of the Fatimid caliph al-Muʿizz. He entered Egypt in 969 CE, founded a new royal city beside Fustat named al-Qahira (Cairo), and began building al-Azhar mosque.
Key facts
Certainty: Established
Jawhar al-Siqilli founded Cairo in 969 CE as a royal city for the Fatimid caliphs.
- André Raymond (2000) “Cairo” Harvard University Press
- Carl F. Petry (ed.) (1998) “The Cambridge History of Egypt, Volume 1: Islamic Egypt, 640–1517” Cambridge University Press