called Abu'l-Fawaris, was appointed successor, under the tutelage of a
vizier named Ibn Furat, who had long served under the Ikshidis. The
accession of this prince was followed by an incursion of the Carmathians
into Syria, before whom the Ikshidi governor fled into Egypt, where he
had for a time to undertake the management of affairs, and arrested Ibn
Furat, who had proved himself incompetent.

The administration of Ibn Furat was fatal to the Ikshidis and momentous
for Egypt, since a Jewish convert, Jacob, son of Killis, who had been in
the Ikshid's service, and was ill-treated by Ibn Furat, fled to the
Fatimite sovereign, and persuaded him that the time for invading Egypt
with a prospect of success had arrived, since there was no one in Fostat
capable of organizing a plan of defence, and the dissensions between the
Buyids at Bagdad rendered it improbable that any succour would arrive
from that quarter. The Fatimite caliph Mo'izz li-din allah was also in
correspondence with other residents in Egypt, where the Alid party from
the beginning of Abbasid times had always had many supporters; and the
danger from the Carmathians rendered the presence of a strong government
necessary. The Fatimite general Jauhar (variously represented as of
Greek, Slav and Sicilian origin), who enjoyed the complete confidence of
the Fatimite sovereign, was placed at the head of an army of 100,000
men--if Oriental numbers are to be trusted--and started from Rakkada at
the beginning of March 969 with the view of seizing Egypt.

Before his arrival the administration of affairs had again been
committed to Ibn Furat, who, on hearing of the threatened invasion, at
first proposed to treat with Jauhar for the peaceful surrender of the
country; but though at first there was a prospect of this being carried
out, the majority of the troops at Fostat preferred to make some
resistance, and an advance was made to meet Jauhar in the neighbourhood
of Giza. He had little difficulty in defeating the Egyptian army, and on
the 6th of July 969 entered Fostat at the head of his forces. The name
of Mo'izz was immediately introduced into public prayer, and coins were
struck in his name. The Ikshidi governor of Damascus, a cousin of
Abu'l-Fawaris Ahmad, endeavoured to save Syria, but was defeated at
Ramleh by a general sent by Jauhar and taken prisoner. Thus the Ikshidi
Dynasty came to an end, and Egypt was transferred from the Eastern to
the Western caliphate, of whi