著者

菟原 卓

出版者

東海大学

雑誌

東海大学紀要. 文学部 (ISSN:05636760)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.69, pp.94-104, 1998

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It is well known that Islam favors commerce. Especially in the medieval period, trade was regarded as an honorable occupation, and prosperous merchants were highly esteemed in social life. Merchants were active not only in the field of economy, but also in the development of Islamic culture, and sometimes in politics. People of high standing were also sometimes involved in commerce. In the present article, I would like to show that the Fatimid ruling circles were also engaged in trade during the early period of their dynasty. According to the primary sources, the Isma'ili imams, including the first Fatimid caliph al-Mahdi, disguised themselves as affluent merchants until the establishment of their dynasty. It is very likely that they were actually operating a kind of trading firm. After the establishment of their state in North Africa, the caliphs ceased to engage themselves personally in commercial activities. However, a crown prince was active in business before his accession to the throne, and other members of the royal household were associated with merchants in the market. As for courtiers of the dynasty, a prominent major-domo owned one or more commercial ships, and his profit from trade was so enormous that he could even support the expansion of the Fatimid state financially.