This chapter examines the roles that eunuchs had in the Fatimid empire, a shi‘i dynasty that reigned in North Africa and Yemen from 297/909 until 567/1171. The historical context in which the Fatimid empire emerged makes this investigation particularly compelling. The Fatimids emerged as a clandestine ‘Alid movement, which competed for legitimacy with the official ruling dynasty of that time, the Abbasids. Due to its secretiveness, it was crucial that the early Fatimids could count on the absolute loyalty of their supporters and servants, which is why they probably relied greatly upon eunuchs.