Sitt al-Mulk facts for kids

Sitt al-Mulk (Arabic: ست الملك, lit. 'Lady of the Kingdom') was a powerful Fatimid princess who lived from 970 to 1023. After her half-brother, the caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, disappeared in 1021, she played a key role in making sure her nephew, Ali az-Zahir, became the next ruler. She then became the actual ruler of the state until she passed away on February 5, 1023.

Early Life and Family Background

Sitt al-Mulk was born in September or October 970. Her birthplace was the palace-city of al-Mansuriya in Ifriqiya, which is modern-day Tunisia. Her father was Prince Nizar, who later became the fifth Fatimid imam and caliph, known as al-Aziz Billah (who ruled from 975 to 996).

Her mother was a concubine, likely called al-Sayyida al-Aziziyya. She was a Christian from the Melkite Church, possibly of Byzantine Greek background. It is known that Sitt al-Mulk's mother chose to remain Christian. Her father, al-Aziz, loved her mother very much. This caused some talk among religious Muslims, especially since al-Aziz was fighting against the Byzantines in Syria at the time.

Moving to Cairo and Growing Up

About a year before Sitt al-Mulk was born, the Fatimid armies had taken control of Egypt. In 972–973, the Fatimid court moved from Ifriqiya to Egypt. They settled in their new capital city, Cairo. So, Sitt al-Mulk spent her childhood in Cairo. She lived in the Qasr al-Bahr palace by the Nile River. Later, she had her own rooms in the Western Palace in Cairo.

Sitt al-Mulk was her father's favorite daughter. Al-Aziz gave her many gifts and a lot of wealth. He even gave her a military unit to command. Her wealth allowed her to support many good causes and charities. She was known for her beauty. However, like other Fatimid princesses, she remained unmarried. This was to avoid any problems with who would rule next.

Sitt al-Mulk's Influence

Sitt al-Mulk was open-minded and tolerant, just like her father. She was also unique among Fatimid palace women because she was involved in politics. She had a lot of influence on her father during his rule. For example, when the Christian vizier (a high-ranking official) Isa ibn Nasturus was removed from his job, he tried to get it back. He offered Sitt al-Mulk a large sum of money to speak to her father for him.

During al-Hakim's Rule

Caliph al-Aziz died suddenly on October 13, 996. He was preparing for a war against the Byzantines in northern Syria. His sudden death raised questions about who would rule next. His only surviving son, al-Mansur, was just eleven years old. Sitt al-Mulk, his half-sister, supported another relative to become caliph.

However, a palace official named Barjawan, who was al-Mansur's tutor, acted quickly. He placed the crown on the young boy's head as soon as the news of al-Aziz's death arrived. Al-Mansur became caliph with the ruling name of al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah. Sitt al-Mulk was then placed under house arrest.

Relations with al-Hakim

Even though she was under house arrest at first, Sitt al-Mulk's relationship with her brother seemed to improve. In 997, she gave him many valuable gifts. After Barjawan was killed in 1000, al-Hakim took full control of the government. He then gave Sitt al-Mulk properties that earned her a lot of money each year. In 1000, al-Hakim even married one of her slave girls.

Sitt al-Mulk also helped her brother by telling him about a plot. She informed him of a conspiracy by two high-ranking officials. This led to the execution of the vizier Abu'l-Ala Fahd ibn Ibrahim. In 1013, she helped a chieftain named al-Hasan ibn Mufarrij get a pardon from her brother. This chieftain had previously rebelled against Fatimid rule.

Al-Hakim's Changing Rule

Over time, al-Hakim's rule became very unpredictable and harsh. The government became unstable. The Caliph issued many strange rules. He banned things like certain foods, singing in public, and even dogs and baths. He also started to treat Christians and Jews badly. This led to the destruction of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in 1009. He also removed many old officials and introduced new religious ideas. Some people even believed he was divine.

Because of these changes, Sitt al-Mulk and her brother grew apart. The princess did not agree with al-Hakim's harsh policies. He also became suspicious of her. In 1013, al-Hakim chose a cousin, Abd al-Rahim ibn Ilyas, as his heir. This was unusual because it broke the direct line of succession. Sitt al-Mulk wanted al-Hakim's son, Ali, to be the next ruler. She took Ali and his mother into her palace to protect them from the Caliph.

Al-Hakim's Disappearance

On the night of February 13, 1021, Caliph al-Hakim disappeared. He was on one of his usual nightly walks in Cairo. After a few days of searching, signs of his murder were found. He was then declared dead. Some historical accounts suggest that Sitt al-Mulk was involved in his death. They say she argued with her brother about how the state was being run. She then supposedly worked with a general named Ibn Dawwas to have al-Hakim killed.

However, other historians are divided on this. Some believe she was likely involved, while others think it's doubtful. Many people in the Fatimid government had reasons to want the unpredictable caliph gone. Even so, rumors about her involvement were strong.

Becoming Regent

After al-Hakim disappeared, Sitt al-Mulk quickly took control of the court. She gave money to important officials and military leaders. Some sources say al-Hakim's son Ali became caliph just seven days after his father's disappearance. Other sources say he was crowned on March 27. During this time, Sitt al-Mulk was the actual ruler of the state.

She quickly had Ibn Dawwas executed. This was because he was believed to be responsible for al-Hakim's death. It might also have been to hide her own possible involvement. Soon after, al-Hakim's chosen heir, Abd al-Rahim ibn Ilyas, was also killed.

Sitt al-Mulk's Rule

The new caliph, al-Zahir, had been under Sitt al-Mulk's care for a long time. He continued to be guided by her after he became caliph. During the early part of al-Zahir's rule, Sitt al-Mulk was the effective leader of the state. People called her 'the Princess-Aunt' or 'the Princess Aziz'.

In her role, she began to undo many of al-Hakim's decisions. She worked to bring back orderly government, especially with state money. She canceled the land and salary grants that al-Hakim had given to his favorites. She also brought back customs duties that he had removed.

She also reversed her brother's many bans. Women were allowed to leave their homes again. Listening to music and drinking wine were also permitted. Non-Muslims who had been forced to convert to Islam under al-Hakim were allowed to return to their old faith. Those who had fled the country were allowed to come back.

Historians note that she was able to do this for several reasons. Even though Fatimid women usually weren't involved in politics, they were not completely separated from social and economic life. This gave them some experience in managing things. Also, after the chaos of al-Hakim's last years, the ruling class was ready to accept her leadership. They had little left to lose.

Sitt al-Mulk was praised by many writers for her good qualities and wise policies. However, her position was unusual. She acted like a caliph, but she could not officially claim power in her own name. It is not clear how long her regency lasted. Some sources say she lost her influence later on. Others say she remained in control until her death.

She also strongly opposed the Druze religion. This group believed in al-Hakim's divinity. She managed to remove it completely from Egypt. It was then limited to the mountains of Lebanon. She also worked to reduce tensions with the Byzantine Empire over the city of Aleppo. However, before these talks could finish, Sitt al-Mulk died of dysentery on February 5, 1023. She was fifty-two years old.

See also

In Spanish: Sitt al-Mulk para niños