Depth
At a glance
- Era
- The Early Abbasid Caliphate
- Region
- Egypt & Nile
- Review
- Draft Completeness 2/5 · Help complete it
In time
Overview
Al-Suyuti relates from al-Dhahabi that Egypt in the days of the Fatimid caliph al-Mustansir was struck by a famine unlike any since the time of Joseph. 2
The famine lasted seven years, until people ate one another, according to the report; and it is said that a loaf was sold for fifty dinars. 2
The date is approximate, around 457 AH, and needs an additional source.
Connections
- Had participant
- al-Mustansir bi'llah Ma'add ibn al-Zahir
People and things also explored
The battle of al-Basasiri and the sermon for the Ubaydi al-Mustansir in Baghdad· al-Mustansir bi'llah Ma'add ibn al-Zahir
Sources
- Tarikh al-Khulafa — al-Suyuti (Dar al-Minhaj edition) , p. 644
- Tarikh al-Khulafa — al-Suyuti (Dar al-Minhaj edition) , p.644
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “The great famine in Egypt under al-Mustansir”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/event/mustansir-great-famine/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-22.