Abū l-Faraj Yaʿqūb, Ibn Killis (318-80/930-91) was wazīr to the Fāṭimid caliph al-ʿAzīz (r. 365-86/975-96), the first to hold that position under the Fāṭimids. Ibn Killis was born Jewish in Baghdad. He and his father eventually moved to Syria, where he gained some prominence as a merchant's agent before continuing to Egypt, where he entered government service and, having attracted the notice and trust of its ruler Kāfūr (r. 355-7/966-8), rose eventually to a position of power and