Verena Klemm obtained her Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from the University of Tubingen, Germany. A specialist in Arabic literature and modern Arabic literary discourse, she is the author of 'Die Mission des fatimidschen Agenten al- Mu'ayyad fi'd-dIn in airzz', and a number of other studies in German and English.

• Preface xiii 1 Introduction 1 Part I: Al-Mu'ayyads Mission in FA rs 2 The Rise and Fall of a dA 'A-- 19 3 Al-Mu'ayyads Memoirs as a Source for History 45 4 The Self-portrayal of a dA 'A-- 55 Part II: Al-Mu'ayyad in Egypt and Syria 5 Al-Mu'ayyad at the Fatimid Court in Cairo 69 6 Al-Mu'ayyad s Political Mission in Northern Syria 78 Part III: Al-Mu'ayyad at the Pinnacle of his Career 7 Al-Mu'ayyad as Chief dA 'A-- in Cairo 89 8 Epilogue 106 Appendix 1: The Works of al-Mu'ayyad fil-DA--n al-ShA--rA zA-- 113 Appendix 2: The Hierarchy and Pedagogy of the Fatimid da'wa 117 Notes 128 Bibliography 147 Index 154