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***Note to peer reviewer: This sandbox contains additions to the existing Wikipedia article: Bayn al-Qasrayn

The Fatimids conquered Egypt in 969 C.E with a North African Kutama Berbe army under the command of the general, Jawhar al-Siqilli. In 970, Jawhar was responsible for planning, founding, and constructing a new city to serve as the residence and center of power for the Fatimid Caliphs. The city was located northeast of Fustat, the existing capital and main city of Egypt. Jawhar al-Siqilli, AlMu'izz Qaid (Grand Vizier) most likely an Armenian slave,  is recounted by Fourteenth century Egyptian Islamic historian, Al-Maqrizi, to have made the conscious decision to move further north and build Cairo on a 340 acre complex instead of develop Fustat. Jawhar organized the city so that the caliphal palace complex was at its center. The city was named al-Mu'izziyya al-Qahirah, the "Victorious City of al-Mu'izz", later simply called "al-Qahira", which gave us the modern name of Cairo. Although Jawhar was indeed important to the layout of Cairo, The Great Eastern Palace of Al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah was drawn and designed by the hand of Al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah, himself. . Al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah's palace was finished in the year 996, but underwent renovations with Caliph Al-Mustansir Billah in the year 1058. The importance of caliphal power, ritual repetition, and social interaction with the public in Cairo led to such ritualized gestures as bowing, kissing the ground before the caliph's feet, as well as formal actions like mounting and dismounting horses, and even other acts cemented the ritual aspects of the Caliphal ceremonial protocol on the Bayn Al-Qasrayn.

The palace complex consisted of two main parts: the Great Eastern Palace, the first to be built in 970 by Jawhar for the arrival of the triumphant Caliph al-Mu'izz, and the Western Palace, which was added under his successor al-'Aziz (ruled 975-996). The two palaces faced each other across an open square or plaza which became known as "Bayn al-Qasrayn" (meaning "Between the Two Palaces"), on a pattern repeated from the original Fatimid royal city at al-Mahdia, Tunisia. The official entrance to the Great Eastern Palace, known as Bab al-Dhahab ("The Golden Gate") was located here and led to the "Golden Hall" where the caliph held his daily audience. Once the Lesser Palace of Al-Aziz Billah and a smaller palace Qasr Al-Bahr were built on the West of the of old pilgrim road, the Meidan/Maydan or center square, completed the Fatimid Great Palaces and centralized the parade ground. The Meidan became the formalized Bayn Al Qasrayn when when both palaces were built. The large scale parade ground held the roots of Fatimid success in trade and political control. This power was acknowledged in outer regions like Mecca and Medina, where the Rulers in those areas allied to receive assistance and subsidies for protection and inclusion. Between the Two Palaces, had four gates that aided in the prestige and seclusion of the royal quarters. The gate of Al-Dhahab (Arabic: الذهب), which led to the "Golden Hall" where the Caliph held his daily audience, was one for four gates. And the 3 other gates were called: Bab Al-Futuh, Bab al-Nasr and Bab Zuweyla.

The inclusion of everyday Muslims, Jews, and Copts to Fatimid daily life and royal presentations led to the Palace guards closing the central throughway by chain during the nighttime hours to seclude and respect the Caliph as a leader for all. These private-use tunnels could aid the caliph and royal officials of avoiding larger than expected gatherings and cross an area inconspicuously. These tunnels would allow Al Mu'izz the ease of an underground passage from the caliphal gardens back to the Palace under the number of minarets, mosques and shrines that sit atop the Bayn al Qasrayn, between the two palaces. And another interesting aspect of the Bayn AlQasrayn is that the Caliph had access to underground tunnels. The square was also the site of various ceremonies and activites related to the dynasty. Group social and artistic usages found in architectural decoration, court ritual, and open ceremony have been recorded through Islamic dynasties of Cairo since the Fatimid Dynasty. This thought-out, strong, central political area was built for the the city elite and high-ranking merchants who lived and worked in the same areas. The Caliph and Islamic gatherings that took place on the palace median were dedicated in ownership to the control of the Dynasty for state control, "local constraints, guidelines and regulations." This great median of Bayn al Qasrayn was the center of life under Fatimid control in Egypt for a duration of centuries. Even in the Northern section, right above the Great Palace complex was the Aqmar Mosque. As a Shia Islam sect, this Fatimid Mosque became a piece of street architecture with its motifs and tributes to Allah, Muhammad and Ali on its daily attention attracting façade. This mosque became pivotal to teaching Shi'i islamic religious concepts in the early twelfth century. And besides the Royal, Religious and State presentation on the parade grounds of the Bayn Al Qasrayn, the surrounding area market and business areas. The shops would pay dues in the form of Waqf, a charitable like donation, to the functioning and progression of education and religous protection of Shi'i theology. This would include shops with food stuffs, armory bazaars, money changing and other widely diverse market fronts.

The Fatimids conquered Egypt in 969 C.E with a North African Kutama Berbe army under the command of the general, Jawhar al-Siqilli. In 970, Jawhar was responsible for planning, founding, and constructing a new city to serve as the residence and center of power for the Fatimid Caliphs. Although Jawhar was indeed important to the layout of Cairo, The Great Eastern Palace of Al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah was drawn and designed by the hand of Al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah, Al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah's palace was finished in the year 996, but underwent renovations with Caliph Al-Mustansir Billah in the year 1058. The importance of caliphal power, ritual repetition, and social interaction with the public in Cairo led to such ritualized gestures as bowing, kissing the ground before the caliph's feet, as well as formal actions like mounting and dismounting horses, and even other acts cemented the ritual aspects of the Caliphal ceremonial protocol on the Bayn Al-Qasrayn.

The official entrance to the Great Eastern Palace, known as Bab al-Dhahab ("The Golden Gate") was located here and led to the "Golden Hall" where the caliph held his daily audience. The inclusion of everyday Muslims, Jews, and Copts to Fatimid daily life and royal presentations led to the Palace guards closing the central throughway by chain during the nighttime hours to seclude and respect the Caliph as a leader for all. Between the Two Palaces, had 4 gates that aided in the prestige and seclusion of the royal quarters. Besides the gate of Al-Dhahab (Arabic: الذهب), the great city center had 3 more gates, called: Bab Al-Futuh, Bab al-Nasr and Bab Zuweyla. The square was also the site of various ceremonies and activites related to the dynasty. Group social and artistic usages found in architectural decoration, court ritual, and open ceremony have been recorded through Islamic dynasties of Cairo since the Fatimid Dynasty. This thought-out, strong, central political area was built for the the city elite and high-ranking merchants who lived and worked in the same areas. The Caliph and Islamic gatherings that took place on the palace median were dedicated in ownership to the control of the Dynasty for state control, "local constraints, guidelines and regulations." This great median of Bayn al Qasrayn was the center of life under Fatimid control in Egypt for a duration of centuries. Even in the Northern section, right above the Great Palace complex was the Aqmar Mosque. As a Shia Islam sect, this Fatimid Mosque became a piece of street architecture with its motifs and tributes to Allah, Muhammad and Ali on its daily attention attracting façade. This mosque became pivotal to teaching Shi'i islamic religious concepts in the early twelfth century. And besides the Royal, Religious and State presentation on the parade grounds of the Bayn Al Qasrayn, the surrounding area market and business areas. The shops would pay dues in the form of Waqf, a charitable like donation, to the functioning and progression of education and religous protection of Shi'i theology. This would include shops with food stuffs, armory bazaars, money changing and other diverse market fronts.