Al-Adid (1151–1171) was the fourteenth and last caliph of the Fatimid
dynasty, and the twenty-fourth imam of the Hafizi Isma'ili branch of
Shi'a Islam, reigning from 1160 to 1171. Like the previous two caliphs,
al-Adid came to the throne as a child, a puppet in the hands of various
strongmen who became viziers of the Fatimid Caliphate. The power
struggles in Cairo weakened the Fatimid state, strengthening both the
Kingdom of Jerusalem, a Crusader state, and Nur al-Din, the Sunni ruler
of Syria. The Crusaders repeatedly invaded Egypt; the Syrians sent their
general, Shirkuh, to counter them. In January 1169, Shirkuh occupied
Cairo and became vizier, but died shortly after. He was succeeded by his
nephew, Saladin, who was at first conciliatory towards al-Adid, but
proceeded to dismantle the Fatimid regime, with al-Adid sidelined. Sunni
Islam was established as state religion, culminating in the official
proclamation of Abbasid suzerainty in September 1171. Al-Adid died a
few days later; his family was placed under house arrest.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Adid>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1792:
The French Army achieved its first major victory of the War of
the First Coalition at the Battle of Valmy.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Valmy>
1920:
Irish War of Independence: British auxiliary police officers
known as Black and Tans went on a rampage in Balbriggan, burning more
than fifty homes and businesses and killing two people.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sack_of_Balbriggan>
1967:
L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, announced the
story of Xenu in a taped lecture sent to all Scientologists.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenu>
1997:
Hurricane Erika, the strongest and longest-lasting hurricane of
the 1997 Atlantic hurricane season, dissipated after causing flooding
and power outages throughout Puerto Rico.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Erika_%281997%29>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
old timer's disease:
(neurology, pathology, slang, sometimes derogatory or humorous) Eggcorn
of Alzheimer's disease (“a disorder involving loss of mental functions
resulting from brain tissue changes”).
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/old_timer%27s_disease>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
At this inflection point in history, we’re going to be judged
by whether or not we live up to the promises we have made to ourselves,
to each other, to the most vulnerable, and to all those who will inherit
the world we create, because that’s what we’re doing. Will we find
within ourselves the courage to do what must be done to preserve the
planet, to protect human dignity, to provide opportunity for people
everywhere, and to defend the tenets of the United Nations? There can
be only one answer to that question: We must, and we will.
--Joe Biden
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Joe_Biden>