Dirgham

'''Abu'l-Ashbāl al-Ḍirghām ibn ʿĀmir ibn Sawwār al-Lukhamī''' () () was an Arab military commander in the service of the Fatimid Caliphate. An excellent warrior and model cavalier, he rose to higher command and scored some successes against the Kingdom of Jerusalem as well as against internal rebellions. Despite his close personal ties to the viziers Tala'i ibn Ruzzik and his son Ruzzik ibn Tala'i, he joined Shawar when the latter rebelled against Ruzzik and seized the vizierate. Nine months later, Dirgham betrayed Shawar as well and expelled him from the capital, becoming vizier himself on 31 August 1163. Amidst yet another Crusader invasion in 1164, Dirgham clashed with Shawar, who had gained the support of Syrian troops led by Shirkuh. Deserted by most of his troops, Dirgham was killed sometime in May–August 1164 by Shawar's army.

==Life== Dirgham was of Arab origin, and his nisbas of al-Lakhmī and al-Mundhirī possibly indicate descent from the pre-Islamic Lakhmid kings of al-Hira. He was born in Alexandria and was a Sunni. The accounts of the historians Umara al-Yamani and al-Maqrizi emphasize his equestrian and soldierly skills, being an expert in handling both the spear and the bow; as well as his penmanship and ability as a poet and as a literary critic. Dirgham had three brothers, Humam (later awarded the laqab of Nāṣir al-Dīn, "Defender of the Faith"), Mulham (Nāṣir al-Muslimīn, "Defender of the Muslims"), and Husam (Fakhr al-Dīn, "Glory of the Faith").