Fatimid Cosmopolitanism: History, Material Culture, Politics, and Religion聽will run online on 6-9 December 2021. Here聽Russell Harris, editor in the IIS鈥檚 Department of Academic Research and Publications, gives an insight into what attendees can expect.
We have to thank the聽FatimidsMajor Muslim dynasty of Ismaili caliphs in North Africa (from 909) and later in Egypt (973鈥1171) More! Not only did they rule over an empire that stretched across聽Ifr墨qiya聽and beyond from 909鈥1171 CE, but they also provided the Islamic world with some of the most heroic, colourful and pluralistic leaders (the Imam-Caliphs). They left behind great military and religious monuments (the mosques of聽al-AzharA major mosque and institution of learning founded in Cairo by the Fatimid Imam-caliph al-Mu士izz (d. 975)., al-岣つ乲im, al-Aqmar in Cairo, among others) and were the patrons and inspiration for great works of literary production. Archaeology has unearthed masterpieces of ceramics, 峁璱r膩z, and decorative ivory work that once decorated the great palaces of these Imam-Caliphs in Cairo.
With Dr Gregory Bilotto as the convenor, the IIS is organising an online conference entitled Fatimid Cosmopolitanism: History, Material Culture, Politics, and Religion. The selection of speakers is of world renown and the spread of papers (for which I have received and edited the abstracts) is gripping. As Dr Bilotto has written in the foreword to the conference programme, the聽Fatimids聽鈥渃ontributed to the formation of a cosmopolitan, or culturally rich, environment that stimulated intercultural contact and exchange between the entire Fatimid state and contemporary cultures across the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and the Indian Ocean鈥.
As one of the world鈥檚 leading research centres on the history of the Ismaili聽Fatimids, the IIS will be represented by our own experts, including:
- Our co-director, Dr Farhad Daftary (on the contribution of the Russian scholar Wladimir Ivanow);
- Dr Maria de Cillis (al-Kirm膩n墨鈥檚 contribution to intellectual cosmopolitanism);
- Dr Shainool Jiwa (the historiography of al-岣つ乲im bi-Amr All膩h);
- Dr Hasan al-Khoee (the work of al-Q膩岣嵞 al-Nu士m膩n);
- Dr Daryoush Mohammad Poor (Fatimid Political and Ethical Sensibilities);
- Professor St茅phane Pradines (excavating Fatimid Cairo);
- Dr Omar Al铆-de-Unzaga (al-Mu示ayyad fi鈥檒-D墨n Sh墨r膩z墨鈥檚 position on metaphor in the 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍Muslims believe that the Holy 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍 contains divine revelations to the Prophet Muhammed received in Mecca and Medina over a period of 23 years in the early 7th century CE. More).
The list of visiting scholars is also exciting, and includes:
- Dr Daniel Beben (N膩峁r-i Khusraw and the late Fatimid 诲补士飞补Lit. ‘summons’, ‘mission’ or invitation to Islam. Amongst Shi’i Muslims, it was the invitation to adopt the cause of the Imamat. It also refers more specifically to the hierarchy of…);
- Professor Doris Behrens-Abouseif (late antiquity in Fatimid art);
- Professor Anna Contadini (the casket of 峁daq ibn Y奴suf);
- Dr Val茅rie Gonzalez (science and aesthetics at the Fatimid court);
- Professor Bernard O鈥橩ane (astral symbolism and Solomonic imagery in Fatimid art);
- Professor Ayman Fuad聽Sayyid聽(Fatimid Celebrations);
- Dr Fahmida Suleman (Central Asian and Chinese inspirations in Fatimid art);
- Professor Shafique Virani (a shared symbol in Christianity and Islam);
- Professor Paul E Walker (Fatimid Chancery).
Personally, I have to say that the list of speakers and the papers they plan to deliver make this one of the most thrilling conference programmes I have seen, and the planned publication of select papers from the conference proceedings will be a vital addition to the corpus of studies on this most exciting and intriguing of historical eras.
Aiming to cover a huge span of subjects, the conference is broken into sessions on topics including:
- The Fatimid State and Statecraft;
- Fatimid Globalism;
- The Fatimid 诲补士飞补 and d膩士墨s;
- Fatimid Decorative Arts and Archeology;
- Fatimid Architecture and the Ceremonial;
- The Fatimid Legacy.
The papers will be delivered by our invited academics in 20-minute slots, and with opportunities for questions from the audience, the conference promises to be a wonderful opportunity for us to hear about the very latest research on a period that is central to the history and heritage of the Ismaili communities, and the Muslim world at large.
Russell Harris, editor, DARP
