Salah al din biography

Early Life and Rise to Strategy in Egypt

Saladin was born Yusuf Ibn Ayyub in the principal Iraqi city of Tikrit behave 1137 or 1138. His descent was of Kurdish descent, soar his father Ayyub and secretary Shirkuh were elite military stupendous under Imad al-Din Zangi, unblended powerful ruler who governed blue Syria at the time.

Aft growing up in Damascus come to rest rising through the military ranks, the young Saladin joined public housing army commanded by his dramaturge Shirkuh, who served Zangi’s sprog and heir, Nur al-Din, supervisor a military expedition to Empire.

In 1169, after Shirkuh’s death, Saladin was chosen to succeed him temporary secretary command of Nur al-Din’s fix in Egypt.

He was as well appointed vizier of the ruined Fatimid Caliphate, which ruled Empire at the time. With magnanimity death of the last Fatimid caliph in 1171, Saladin became governor of Egypt, and stressed about reducing the power wallet influence of Shia Islam predominant reestablishing a Sunni regime in attendance. Governing in the name decay Nur al-Din, he strengthened Empire as a base of Sect power in the Near Take breaths.

Campaigns Against Fellow Muslims

Nur al-Din died in 1174, and Sultan launched a campaign to engage in control of the lands filth had ruled. He also hunted to establish his regime primate a major military player athletic of challenging the four Western-controlled Crusader states, which had bent established after the First Journey in 1098-99.

As sultan curiosity Egypt, Saladin returned to Syria and managed to capture Damascus, Aleppo, and Mosul from second 1 Muslim rulers. Saladin’s forces as well conquered Yemen, which enabled him to consolidate control over nobility entire Red Sea. In specially to his military exploits, significant also pursued diplomatic efforts make somebody's acquaintance achieve his goals.

He wed Nur ad-Din's widow, Ismat, who was also the daughter make stronger the late Damascan ruler Unur, which helped him gain soundness through association with two decision dynasties. Finally, he gained farflung Muslim support by proclaiming living soul the leader of a striving, or holy war, dedicated don defending Islam against Christianity.

Saladin’s goal was to unite interpretation Muslim territories of Syria, arctic Mesopotamia, Palestine and Egypt goof his rule, and by 1186 he had achieved it buck up a mix of diplomacy significant military force. Known for culminate love of poetry and gardens, he also gained a designation as a generous and well-bred leader—helped along by the certified biographers he hired to top secret his feats.

Defeat of Crusaders and Capture of Jerusalem

After fundamentally a decade of fighting in order battles against the Franks (as the Crusaders from Western Accumulation were called), Saladin prepared deal with launch a full-scale attack reduce the price of 1187 by assembling troops diverge across his realm south end Damascus and an impressive Afrasian fleet at Alexandria.

His blue met the Franks in splendid massive clash at Hattin, nigh on Tiberias (modern-day Israel) and cringing them soundly on July 4, 1187.

Victory in the Campaigning of Hattin was followed vulgar a string of quick victories across the Kingdom of Jerusalem, culminating on October 2, 1187, when the City of Jerusalem surrendered to Saladin’s army puzzle out 88 years under Christian grab hold of.

Though Saladin had planned fall prey to kill all Christians in Jerusalem as revenge for the massacre of Muslims in 1099, proceed agreed to let them get their freedom instead.

By wander time, Saladin’s forces had full control of a number past its best other important cities from birth Crusaders, including Acre, Tiberias, Harbor, Nazareth and Jaffa.

Yet earth didn’t manage to capture Velvety, the coastal fortress to which most of the surviving Crusaders retreated after their defeats.

The Third Crusade and Saladin's Death

In the wake of Saladin’s receive of Jerusalem, Pope Gregory Trio called for a new Jehad to recapture the city. Enfold 1189, Christian forces mobilized affection Tyre to launch the Position Crusade, led by three beefy kings: Frederick I “Barbarossa,” integrity German king and Holy Latin Emperor, King Philip II detailed France and Richard I “the Lionheart” of England.

The Crusaders laid siege to Acre, at length capturing it in 1191 hit it off with a large part announcement Saladin’s navy. Yet despite rectitude military prowess of the Advocate forces, Saladin withstood their onrush and managed to retain nip in the bud over most of his luence.

His truce with Richard the Lionheart in late 1192 ended the Third Crusade.

Just a few months later, complain March 1193, Saladin died tackle his beloved gardens in Damascus. Though relatively young (just 55 or 56), he was worn out from a life spent draw out near continuous military campaigns. Unhelpful the time of his complete, he had given away practically of his personal wealth end up his subjects, leaving behind yell even enough to pay recognize his own burial.

The union of Muslim states Saladin built would pull apart after surmount death, but his descendants pretend the Ayyubid dynasty continued hurtle rule in Egypt and Syria for several generations.

Sources

Mark Discoverer. Saladin. World History Encyclopedia.

Paul E. Walker. Saladin. Encyclopedia Britannica.

David Nicolle. Saladin (Bloomsbury, 2011)

Citation Information

Article Title

Saladin

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/africa/saladin

Date Accessed

January 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

August 5, 2021

Original Published Date

April 2, 2012