State document: AIU XII.105

Description

Recto: Six lines from a formal Arabic petition, probably late Fatimid. The second line reveals the name of an official: "...al-salāṭīn khāliṣat amīr al-muʾminīn Asad al-Dīn." The amir Asad al-Dīn was one of the higher-ranking officials during the time of al-ʿĀḍid and was the subordinate of his vizier Shāwar (Ibn Taghrī Birdī, vol.5, pg. 352 and al-Maqrīzī, Ittiʿāẓ, vol. 3, pg. 304). He ruled Egypt after him for approximately six months (al-ʿAbbāsī al-Ṣafdī, pg. 127). This document could be dated around 562/1166 during the period of al-ʿĀḍid. YU/ASE. Verso: The upper part of an Arabic letter from a certain [Daniel?] b. Bū l-Majd possibly to his sister (in the upper left corner: "ʿabduhā akhūhā"). The text continues on the margin in oblique lines, one readable phrase is "tawakkal ʿalā l-Allah". Needs further examination.