istoryworld
Events relating to north africa
The Venetians, acquiring from Alexandria some bones believed to be those of St Mark, build St Mark's to house the valuable relic
During refurbishment of the mosque at Kairouan, in north Africa, a high fluted dome is added
Ahmad ibn Tulun, a Mameluke, seizes power in Egypt - establishing his own Tulunid dynasty
The Fatimids establish a new capital city on the Nile, calling it Al Kahira ('the victorious'), which becomes reduced to Cairo
The salt mines of the Sahara provide a staple commodity in the African caravan trade
Berber tribesmen, the Almoravids, establish a base at Marrakech from which they conquer northwest Africa and move into Spain
Greek texts, translated by Arabic scholars in Baghdad, gradually make their way through the Muslim world to Christian Europe
Rival Berber tribesmen, the Almohads, evict the Almoravids from Marrakech and soon conquer the whole north African coast
Seville falls to the Almohads, from north Africa, who make it their Spanish capital
Saladin deposes the Fatimid caliph and brings Egypt back to orthodoxy, acknowledging the rule of the Sunni caliph in Baghdad
In Cairo the Jewish philosoper Moses Maimonides writes, in Arabic, a much translated text with the endearing title Guide to the Perplexed
St Francis of Assisi joins a crusading army in Egypt and attempts to convert the sultan Melek-el-Kamel and his followers to Christianity
The last sultan of Saladin's dynasty is murdered by slaves in the palace guard, and Mameluke rule is reintroduced in Egypt
The Marinids, a Berber tribe, take Marrakech and bring to an end Almohad rule in Morocco
The Assassins are systematically destroyed by Baybars, the Mameluke sultan of Egypt
Mansa Musa, sultan of the gold-rich African state of Mali, is so lavish in Cairo (on his way to Mecca) that the value of Egyptian gold slumps
Ibn Batutah leaves his home in Morocco to go on pilgrimage to Mecca, and continues travelling for 24 years
The Ottoman sultan, Selim I, captures Cairo and ends Mameluke rule in the middle east
From Bosnia to Egypt and Arabia, the Ottoman Turks now rule the largest Muslim empire since the early caliphate - and will frequently use the title of caliph to assert their authority within Sunni Islam
The Ottoman empire finally asserts control over the north African coast, in the footsteps of Muslim pirates
A law is passed expelling the Moriscos from Spain, with the result that some 300,000 are shipped to north Africa
Napoleon, with distinguished scientists in his fleet, sails to invade Egypt
Napoleon's campaign in Egypt begins well with the Battle of the Pyramids, a victory over an Egyptian army
Disaster strikes the French in Egypt when Nelson finds their fleet in Aboukir Bay and destroys it in the Battle of the Nile
Napoleon's soldiers discover a black basalt slab, the Rosetta Stone, near the village of Rashid in Egypt
