duced mysticism into the
interpretation of the Koran, and even taught that its moral precepts
were not to be taken in a literal sense. Thus the Fatimite caliphs
founded their authority upon a combination of political power and
superstition.

Abu'l Kasim, who ruled at Alexandria, was succeeded in 945 by his son,
El-Mansur. Under his reign the Fatimites were attacked by Abu Yazid, a
Berber, who gathered around him the Sunnites, and the revolutionaries
succeeded in taking the Fatimite capital Kairwan. El-Mansur, however,
soon defeated Abu Yazid in a decisive battle and rebuilt a new city,
Mansuria, on the site of the modern Cairo, to commemorate the event.
Dying in 953, he was succeeded by Muiz ad-Din.

Muiz came to the throne just at the time when dissensions as to the
succession were undermining the Ikshid dynasty. Seizing the opportunity
in the year 969, Muiz equipped a large and well-armed force, with a
formidable body of cavalry, the whole under the command of Abu'l-Husain
Gohar el-Kaid, a native of Greece and a slave of his father El-Mansur.
This general, on his arrival near Alexandria, received a deputation from
the inhabitants of Fostat charged to negotiate a treaty. Their overtures
were favourably entertained, and the conquest of the country seemed
probable without bloodshed. But while the conditions were being
ratified, the Ikshidites prevailed on the people to revoke their offer,
and the ambassadors, on their return, were themselves compelled to seek
safety in flight.

Gohar el-Kaid incurred no delay in pushing his troops forward. He forced
the passage of the Nile a few miles south of El-Gizeh at the head of his
troops, and the Ikshidites suffered a disastrous defeat. To the honour
of the African general, it is related that the inhabitants of Fostat
were pardoned and the city was peaceably occupied. The submission of the
rest of Egypt to Muiz was secured by this victory. In the year 359 a.h.
Syria was also added to his domains, but shortly after was overrun by
the Carmathians. The troops of Muiz met with several reverses, Damascus
was taken, and those lawless freebooters, joined by the Ikshidites,
advanced to Ain Shems. In the meanwhile, Gohar had fortified Cairo (the
new capital which he had founded immediately north of Fostat) and taken
every precaution to repel the invaders; a bloody battle was fought in
the year 361 before the city walls, without any decisive result. Later,
however, Gohar obtained a victo