The Reasons of Taking Advantage of Slaves in Fatimids’ Political and Military System

Ishmaelite Fatimids (297-567) initially took power in the Islamic West and later, they entered Egypt. In their political and military structure of their government particularly the army and the positions in the court and government, they were not dependent on the native powers and extensively they took advantage of slaves belonging to various races. After providing a general illustration from the symbols of authority of slaves and via the descriptive-analytical method, this article tries to answer this main question pertaining to the internal and external elements effective on attracting the servants by Fatimids. This study reveals that the elements such as war, priority of military power of servants, increasing the number of them and strengthening their authority against the internal claimants, not trusting in native and local powers due to their frequent sedition, the danger of local powers and collaboration with Abbasid caliph, territorial development and providing an obedient army without any materialist and regional belongings are considered as the main elements of taking advantage of slaves in the political- military system.