Cairo’s current form dates back to the Islamic conquest of Egypt by Amr ibn al-As in 641 AD, who founded the city of Fustat. Later, the Abbasids built the city of al-Askar, and Ahmad ibn Tulun founded the city of al-Qata’i. When the Fatimids arrived from Ifriqiya, Commander Jawhar al-Siqilli began building the new capital of the Fatimid state on the orders of Caliph al-Mu’izz li-Din Allah in 969 AD, naming it “Cairo.” Over the centuries, Cairo has been known by various names, including the City of a Thousand Minarets, the Protectorate of Egypt, and the Victorious City.