Contents
Ibn Khaldun
Explaining how social cohesion shapes the rise and decline of states.
Muqaddimah · Kitab al-Ibar
- Born
- 27 May 1332
- Birthplace
- Tunis, present-day Tunisia
- Died
- 17 March 1406
More people
Ibn Khaldun
Ibn Khaldun was a North African historian and political thinker whose Muqaddimah examined society and the writing of history.
Early life
Scholarly family
Received an education in Tunis.
Plague
Lost family members and teachers during the Black Death.
Career
- 1350s–1370s
Political service
Worked for rulers across North Africa and in Granada.
- 1370s
Historical writing
Composed the first version of the Muqaddimah.
- 1380s–1406
Egypt
Taught and served as a judge in Cairo.
Books & ideas
Muqaddimah
An introduction examining the forces behind historical change.
Kitab al-Ibar
A broad history with substantial North African material.
Al-Taʿrif
Recorded his own life and political experience.
Beyond work
Diplomacy
Met Timur outside Damascus in 1401.
Method
Warned against accepting implausible historical reports without scrutiny.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Photo: Reda Kerbush. CC BY-SA 4.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
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