15 moments

1. Birth in Tunis

   1332-01-01 · Tunis, Tunisia

   

   Ibn Khaldun was born in Tunis, where he received his early education before entering political service. Wikipedia's article prose gives 26 May 1332, while its infobox gives 27 May; year-level precision is retained because of that internal discrepancy.

2. Arrival at the Marinid court

   1354-01-01 · Fez, Morocco

   He arrived in Fez and entered the political and scholarly milieu of the Marinid ruler Abu Inan.

3. Arrival in Nasrid Granada

   1362-12-01 · Granada, Spain

   After leaving Fez, Ibn Khaldun reached Granada and was welcomed by Muhammad V and his vizier Ibn al-Khatib. The cited source gives December 1362 but not a day.

4. Diplomatic visit to Seville

   1364-01-01 · Seville, Spain

   Serving Muhammad V of Granada, Ibn Khaldun undertook a peace mission to Castile and visited his ancestral city of Seville.

5. Political office at Béjaïa

   1365-01-01 · Béjaïa, Algeria

   

   Ibn Khaldun returned to North Africa and held responsibility for the affairs of Béjaïa under the Hafsid ruler Abu Abdallah. The source uses the historical name Bougie for Béjaïa.

6. Summoned to Tlemcen

   1370-01-01 · Tlemcen, Algeria

   

   After a period of scholarly withdrawal, Ibn Khaldun was summoned to Tlemcen by its new ruler. The source identifies the year as 1370.

7. Mission among the Dawadida near Biskra

   1375-01-01 · Biskra, Algeria

   The Abd al-Wadid ruler Abu Hammu sent Ibn Khaldun on a mission to the Dawadida Arab tribes in the Biskra region. Coordinates represent Biskra, the named regional center; the particular tribal encampment is unspecified.

8. Retreat at Qal'at Ibn Salama

   1375-01-01 · Qal'at Ibn Salama, near Taoughazout, Tiaret Province, Algeria

   

   Ibn Khaldun withdrew from political life at Qal'at Ibn Salama, where he began the world history whose introduction became the Muqaddimah. Coordinates are a representative point for nearby Taoughazout; the fortress is described as near the village and lacks a consistently published exact coordinate.

9. Return to Tunis for research

   1378-01-01 · Tunis, Tunisia

   

   He left his retreat to return to Tunis, seeking the books and libraries needed to continue his historical work.

10. Arrival at Alexandria

    1382-12-08 · Alexandria, Egypt

    Leaving Tunis for Egypt, Ibn Khaldun arrived by sea at Alexandria after a hazardous Mediterranean crossing.

11. Arrival in Cairo

    1383-01-06 · Cairo, Egypt

    After about a month in Alexandria, Ibn Khaldun proceeded to Cairo, which became his principal home for the rest of his life.

12. Pilgrimage to Mecca

    1387-09-01 · Mecca, Saudi Arabia

    Ibn Khaldun made the pilgrimage to Mecca, one of the short journeys undertaken during his long Cairo residence. The source supplies month and year but not a day.

13. Meeting Timur outside Damascus

    1401-01-01 · Damascus, Syria

    During the Timurid siege, Ibn Khaldun met and negotiated with Timur outside Damascus, an encounter he later recorded in his autobiography. Coordinates represent Damascus; the cited account places the meeting outside its gates rather than identifying a precise camp location.

14. Return to Cairo after Damascus

    1401-03-17 · Cairo, Egypt

    

    Ibn Khaldun returned to Cairo after his Damascus mission and soon resumed service as Maliki chief judge.

15. Death and burial in Cairo

    1406-03-17 · Cairo, Egypt

    Ibn Khaldun died in Cairo shortly after his sixth appointment as Maliki chief judge and was buried in the Sufi cemetery outside Bab al-Nasr. The exact grave site is reported as unknown; coordinates represent Cairo.