The Fatimid Caliphate and Relations with Nubia 358 - 393 AH / 969 - 1000 AD The Fatimid Caliphate's conquest of Egypt in 358 AH He was the Fatimid commander through whom the opening of relations with the land of Nubia was achieved. This was because the Fatimids knew that achieving political control over Christian Nubia, with its capital (Dongola), was difficult. Furthermore, the Nubians' ambition and their continuous raids on Egypt had not ceased, especially since the Nubians had stopped sending the (Baqz) which was due for two centuries, during the period of weakness that afflicted Egypt before the Fatimid conquest. From this, the Fatimids realized from the moment of their conquest of Egypt the importance of the relationship between Egypt and Nubia and the necessity of taking the initiative to attack and subdue the Nubians who had continuously attacked Egypt before their arrival. Thus, the Fatimids arrived and were displeased with the traditional policy followed by the governors of Egypt under the Abbasids and their predecessors among the Muslim governors towards Nubia. Therefore, it was incumbent upon them to take a positive stance towards this land, even though their custom was not to consider war except in cases of extreme necessity. Jawhar al-Siqilli, the Fatimid commander through whom the conquest of Egypt was achieved, began relations with the land of Nubia by sending an envoy to King George II (358 - 393 AH / 969 - 1000 AD), the King of Nubia at that time. It was a testament to Jawhar al-Siqilli's good policy and shrewdness that he chose his envoy from among the Muslim Nubians who had a great understanding of the conditions in Nubia, due to their direct contact, as well as their knowledge of the Nubian language. That envoy was (Abdullah bin Ahmed bin Salim al-Aswani), who spoke the Nubian language fluently alongside Arabic. Abu Salim al-Aswani is considered the first enlightened Islamic figure to enter the land of Nubia at the head of a political and religious mission, debating one of its kings on behalf of one of the rulers of Egypt, demanding the payment of the Baqz, which had stopped for a period. The letter he carried also included an invitation to King George II to embrace Islam. This letter is considered an invitation from the rulers of Egypt to spread Islam in that Christian land. 48