Raqqada

Raqada or Raqâda (رقادة) is the site of the second capital of the dynasty of Aghlabids (9th century) located about ten kilometers southwest of Kairouan (also Qairawan; city in Tunisia). The site now houses the National Museum of Islamic Art.

History

In 876, the ninth Aghlabid emir Ibrahim II ibn Ahmad (875-902) felt the need to change residence to find a quiet place away from city noise. The new city is provided with several palaces and a mosque. The Aghlabids founded a factory of textile and paper to supply the House of Wisdom and Science ( Bayt al-Hikma ).At a time, Raqqada became even larger than Kairouan.

In 909, Ubayd Allah al-Mahdi, founder of the dynasty of the Fatimids, who had moved to Kairouan, finally settled in Raqqada. He chose another capital and founded the town of Mahdia. He proclaimed himself as the Imam in 909.

The 7 July 969, the troops of the fourth Fatimid Caliph Al-Muizz Lideenillah entered Fustat in Egypt. The caliph founded a new city Cairo, which was now to be the capital. Raqqada was demolished after the construction of Cairo.