How the Fatimid Caliphate Ruled the Mediterranean Economy

Trade Routes That Changed Human History Forever — Fexingo History · Apr 29, 2026 · 5m · transcript

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the forgotten economic empire of the Fatimid Caliphate — a Shia Ismaili dynasty that dominated the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean trade routes from its capital in Cairo. We follow the rise of the Fatimids from their origins in North Africa to the founding of Cairo in 969 CE, and examine how they controlled the flow of gold from West Africa, textiles from Egypt, and spices from the East. Key figures include Caliph al-Mu'izz, the vizier al-Aziz billah, and the Jewish merchant Joseph ibn Awkal, whose letters from the Cairo Geniza reveal the inner…