Barjawan was assassinated on al-Hakim’s orders (25/26 March 1000). The killing marked a turning point, with al-Hakim moving to assert personal control over the state after years of tutelage and regency.
Al-Hakim founded the Dār al-Ḥikma (also called Dār al-ʿIlm) in Cairo as a major scholarly institution with a large library and public reading facilities, supporting learning and debate within Fatimid intellectual life.
Beginning in 1005, al-Hakim ordered Jews and Christians to observe ghiyār (public markers of distinction), including specific clothing/accessory requirements. These regulations became a notable episode within the broader swings of tolerance and coercion in his rule.
Al-Hakim ordered the destruction of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, a highly consequential act for Christian–Muslim relations and later Byzantine–Fatimid diplomacy. Demolition began in late September 1009.
Construction of the large congregational mosque begun under al-ʿAzīz was completed under al-Hakim (often dated to 1013). The building—later widely known as al-Hakim Mosque (al-Jāmiʿ al-Anwar)—became one of the major architectural legacies associated with his reign.
Al-Hakim vanished on the night of 12/13 February 1021 after leaving Cairo for a customary nocturnal excursion toward the Muqattam (Mokattam) hills. His disappearance ended his reign abruptly and fueled later religious and political interpretations.
After a period of secrecy and palace maneuvering following al-Hakim’s disappearance, his son ʿAlī was proclaimed caliph with the regnal title al-Ẓāhir li-Iʿzāz Dīn Allāh, with al-Hakim’s sister Sitt al-Mulk playing a key role in securing the succession.
Fatimid caliph al-ʿAzīz biʾllāh died at Bilbays while preparing a Syrian campaign. His son Abū ʿAlī al-Manṣūr (al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah), about 11 years old, succeeded him as imam-caliph, beginning a minority reign dominated by court and military factions.
Court eunuch Barjawan rose to become the Fatimid government's chief executive (often described as prime minister/regent), helping stabilize factional tensions (notably between Kutama Berbers and Turkic troops) during al-Hakim’s early years.
Reign of al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah (996–1021)
