Syria under the Fatimid Caliphate

Fatimid dynasty caliph from 975 to 996

971 battle of the Arab-Byzantine wars

Hamdanid ruler

998 Fatimid victory in the Arab–Byzantine wars

Emir of Aleppo

between the Byzantines and their Hamdanid allies against the forces of the Fatimid vizier of Damascus

Alptakin (also known as Aftakin) was a Turkish military officer of the Buyids, who participated, and eventually came to lead, an unsuccessful rebellion against them in Iraq from 973 to 975. Fleeing west with 300 followers, he exploited the power vacuum in Syria to capture several cities, including Damascus. For the next three years, Alptakin withstood attempts by the Fatimid Caliphate to capture Damascus, until he was defeated and captured by Caliph al-Aziz Billah. Taken to Egypt and incorporated into the Fatimid army, he was poisoned by the vizier Ibn Killis shortly after this.

siege by the Fatimids

1029 battle

994-995 siege by the army of the Fatimid Caliphate