Al-Zafir

For the Arab tribe, see al-Zafir (tribe).

Al-Zafir
Caliph of the Fatimid Dynasty
Reign	1149 – 1154
Predecessor	Al-Hafiz
Successor	Al-Fa'iz bi-Nasr Allah
Born	February 1133
Died	April 1154
Dynasty	Fatimid
Religion	Ismaili Shia Islam

Abu Mansur Isma'il Az-Zafir bi-Amr Allāh ibn al-Hafiz, February 1133 – April 1154), was a Fatimid caliph from 1149 to 1154, in Cairo, son of Al-Hafiz, 12th Fatimid Caliph and was the 23rd Imam of the Hafizi Ismaili sect. The young Az-Zafir became caliph in 1149, and Ibn al-Sallar became his vizier/prime minister, with Usama ibn Munqidh as one of his advisors. The Imam-Caliph Az-Zafir was murdered by his vizier called Abbas ibn Abi al-Futuh and his son Nasr who succeeded Ibn al-Sallar. Az-Zafir never exercised power in his own right with his viziers exercising real power. Instead of devoting himself to the administration, Zafir exceedingly inclined to a life of pleasure. He was murdered at the age of 21 years in 549/1154 and was succeeded by his five years old son, Al-Faiz.

See also

• List of rulers of Egypt
• Hafizi-Isma'ili family tree
• Usama ibn Munqidh

References

Family tree of the Fatimid dynasty

Abu Muhammad Abdallah al-Mahdi bi'llah (r. 909–934) Abu'l-Qasim Muhammad al-Qa'im bi-Amr Allah (r. 934–946) Abu Ali Ahmad Other children al-Qasim§ Abu Tahir Isma'il al-Mansur bi'llah (r. 946–953) Other children Abu Tamim Ma'ad al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah (r. 953–975) Abd al-Rahim§ Tamim Abdallah§ Abu Mansur Nizar al-Aziz bi'llah (r. 975–996) Sitt al-Malik Rashida Abda Other children Sitt al-Mulk Abu Ali Mansur al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah (r. 996–1021) Other children Abu'l-Hasan Ali al-Zahir li-I'zaz Din Allah (r. 1021–1036) Abu Tamim Ma'ad al-Mustansir bi'llah (r. 1036–1094) Abu Mansur Nizar§ Abu Abdallah Abdallah Isma'il Abu'l-Qasim Muhammad Other children Abu'l-Qasim Ahmad al-Musta'li bi'llah (r. 1094–1101) al-Husayn Nizari imams (claimed descent) Abu'l-Maymun Abd al-Majid al-Hafiz li-Din Allah (r. 1132–1149) Abu Ali Mansur al-Amir bi-Ahkam Allah (r. 1101–1130) Ja'far Other children Sulayman§ Haydara§ Hasan§ Abu Mansur Isma'il al-Zafir bi-Amr Allah (r. 1149–1154) Yusuf Other children Abu'l-Qasim al-Tayyib§ Abu'l-Qasim Isa al-Fa'iz bi-Nasr Allah (r. 1154–1160) Abu Muhammad Abdallah al-Adid li-Din Allah (r. 1160–1171) Tayyibi hidden imams (claimed descent) Dawud Sulayman § denotes designated heirs who did not accede to the throne    denotes ruling Fatimid caliphs (with regnal names in bold and regnal dates)