Al-Musta'li

Aḥmad al-Musta‘lī ( _ar. احمد المستعلى d. 1101) was the ninth Fatimid Caliph.

Al-Musta‘lī was made caliph by Regent al-Afdal Shahanshah (1094-1121) as the successor to al-Mustansir. By and large, al-Musta‘lī was subordinate to Malik al-Afdal.

One complication of the selection of al-Musta‘lī was that his brother an-Nizār was considered the rightful heir to the throne. This led to a power struggle within the Fatimids, and although an-Nizār's revolt was unsuccessful (ending with his death in prison), the break from the rules of succession caused a schism amongst the Ismā‘ilī Shī‘a. In Saljūq Syria and Persia, the Nizārī sect developed, one branch of which is known to history as the Assassins.

During al-Musta‘lī's reign, the First Crusade (1099) established the Kingdom of Jerusalem, the County of Tripoli and the Principality of Antioch, which further reduced Fatimid power in Syria and Palestine.

Al-Musta‘lī was succeeded by his son al-Amīr (1101-1130).

See also

* The Musta‘liyyah