Life story. Salah al-Din Ayyubi and hostility towards Jews
SALAH AD-DIN(Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub, in European sources: Saladin, 1138–1193), commander and ruler of Egypt, founder of the Ayyubid dynasty. Kurdish by origin. Born in Tikrit (Iraq), the son of Ayyub ibn Shadi, close associate and military leader of the Mosul-Syrian sultans Zengi and his son Nur ad-Din. He received his education in Damascus, one of the centers of Islamic science.
In 1164, Salah ad-Din took part in the Egyptian campaign under the command of his uncle Shirku, sent by Nur ad-Din to help the Fatimid vizier Shevara ibn Mujir, expelled from Egypt, and led the garrison of Alexandria. After breaking with Shevara and repelling the crusaders and Byzantines he had called upon, Shirku became vizier under the Fatimid caliph, remaining subordinate to Nur ad-Din. After the death of his uncle in May 1169, Salah ad-Din became the ruler of Egypt. He created a capable army of Turkic Mamluk slaves, including horse archers and spearmen. Salah ad-Din's domestic policy was characterized by the development of the military-feudal system (iqta) and some reduction in taxes.
In 1171, after the death of the Fatimid caliph al-Adid, Salah ad-Din announced the overthrow of this Shiite dynasty and submission to the Sunni caliph of Baghdad from the Abbasid dynasty, from whom he received the title of sultan in 1174. In 1171–1173 he fought with the crusaders and conquered Tripolitania from the North African Almohad rulers. After the death of Nur ad-Din in 1174, Salah ad-Din came out in support of his son al-Salih and occupied most of Syria. In 1175, he announced the removal of al-Salih, in 1176 he defeated the armies of the ruler of Mosul, Sayf ad-Din, who invaded Syria, and entered into an agreement with al-Salih and the Assassins.
In 1177 Salah ad-Din returned to Egypt. In Cairo he built a new fortress, an aqueduct to supply the city with water and several madrassas. In 1177–1180 he fought with the crusaders without much success, in 1180 he concluded a peace treaty with the Seljuk Sultan of Konya (Iconium), in 1183 he subdued Aleppo, and in 1186 - Mosul, completing the conquest of Syria and northern Iraq.
In 1187, taking advantage of the struggle for power in the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the raids of the master of the Templar Order, Raynald de Chatillon, Salah ad-Din terminated the four-year truce with the crusaders and declared a holy war on them. On July 3–4, he defeated the Christians near Hittin (Palestine), capturing the King of Jerusalem Guido de Lusignan and Master Raynald (he then released the first, and executed the second with his own hands). Then the Sultan of Egypt captured Tiberias, Acre (Akka), Ashkelon, besieged Jerusalem on September 20, 1187, and on October 2 forced the city to capitulate. The Kingdom of Jerusalem was destroyed, and most of the Crusaders' possessions in Palestine and Syria fell into the hands of Muslims. The Christians were able to hold only Tire, and in 1189 they besieged Accra.
In June 1191, the English king Richard I the Lionheart arrived near Accra with the crusader troops. He managed to take this important fortress, and then occupy Ashkelon and the coast to Jaffa, defeating Salah ed-Din at Arsuf. Retreating from Richard's troops, the Egyptian Sultan destroyed crops, pastures, and poisoned wells. This tactic forced the Crusaders to abandon plans to recapture Jerusalem and prompted Richard to conclude a peace treaty with Saladin on September 2, 1192, and then return to Europe. Shortly after this, the Egyptian Sultan died in Damascus on March 4, 1193, where he was buried. The Ayyubid dynasty he founded ruled Egypt until 1252, when it was overthrown by the Mamluks.
Saladin was the ruler of Egypt and Syria who lived in the 12th century. The first representative of the Ayyubid dynasty, who went down in history as the military commander of the Islamic resistance to the Crusader knights.
The future leader of Muslims in the Middle East was born in 1138 in the city of Tikrit. The boy's grandfather and father were Kurds by origin and served as officers in the Turkic-Syrian army, but from childhood the boy gravitated towards science, not military training. He studied algebra and geometry, in particular, he was familiar with Euclid and the Almagest. But most of all Saladin was interested in the teachings of Islam. The young man quoted any passage from Hamas, a collection of poems by Arab authors, as well as the works of Abu Tammam. Saladin loved horses and knew a lot about them. He understood the genealogy of the people and could retell the biography of any hero of the past or present.
Reflecting on the fate of the world, the young man consciously decided to start a military career. Already in his early years, Saladin was concerned about the fate of the Arab world, which his father and grandfather defended with honor. The young man's first mentor in military training was his uncle Asad ad-Din Shirkukh. Saladin was able to quickly become one of the ten strongest warriors in the army of Emir of Damascus Nur ad-Din.
After the start of the Crusades in 1096, Muslims constantly sought to liberate the Holy City from the infidels, in which, according to legend, the Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad to the Seventh Heaven took place. Therefore, the Arab rulers waged a fierce struggle with the crusaders for the right to possess Jerusalem, and this war became the meaning of Saladin’s life.
At the age of 26, Saladin took part in the liberation campaign of his uncle's army in Cairo. Shirkukh helped restore the rule of the Egyptian vizier Shevar, but at the same time planned the further seizure of the territories of the state. This state of affairs did not suit the ruler, and he asked for help from King Amaury I of Jerusalem. Shirkuh's army was in the fortress of Bilbeis, which the enemy began to besiege. In these battles, Saladin honed his military skills, as well as his ability to think strategically.
Having lost the three-month siege of Bilbeis, Shevar's warriors, along with the crusaders, retreated into the desert west of Giza. Saladin took command of the right wing of the army, and after a bloody battle defeated the enemy, driving the soldiers into sands impassable for horses. Shirkukh emerged victorious from the battle, but with great personal losses.
The place of deployment of the surviving crusaders and their co-religionists who came to their aid was the capital of Egypt, while Saladin and Shirkukh settled in Alexandria. Four years later, the crusaders agreed to leave Egypt. A year later, Shevar was captured and executed by the army of Shirkukh, and Saladin took his place. Ruler Nur ad-Din, to whom the brave warrior had previously obeyed, was dissatisfied with Saladin’s self-will, but soon the two rulers found a common language.
Governing body
In 1174, Nur ad-Din died suddenly from a severe sore throat, and the Sultan of Egypt had the opportunity to become the Amir of Damascus and the ruler of Syria. Using political intervention in the affairs of the lost leader of Damascus, as well as the forceful method of invasion, Saladin was recognized as the head of state and the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty. By uniting the lands of Egypt and Syria, Saladin became the ruler of the largest territory in the Middle East.
In order to strengthen his own power, Saladin used close relatives in all key government positions. The commander created a modern army, which had no equal at that time, and strengthened the flotilla. Having transformed the state and army, Saladin declared war on the infidels who occupied the territories of Asia Minor. This proximity frightened the Byzantine Emperor Alexei I and forced him to ask for help and protection from the Pope.
Wars
Saladin began the war against the crusaders who settled in Jerusalem in 1187, when he had already created a powerful empire that surrounded the territory of the Holy City. The impeccable army, consisting of long-range archers, horse artillery and infantry, by this time had won many high-profile victories.
The first military operation aimed at the knights was the Battle of Hattin. Thanks to correctly constructed tactics, having lured the Europeans into impassable sands, the Muslims killed more than half of the enemy army and captured 20 thousand knights. The winner received high-ranking crusaders, as well as the commander-in-chief of the European army.
After the victory near Lake Tiberias, Saladin took Acre and Jaffa, Palestinian cities under the control of knights. After which, in the fall of 1187, Saladin’s army entered Jerusalem, and power in the city passed to the followers of Islam. After the triumph of victory, Saladin managed to save a human face: he left many prisoners alive and allowed them to visit the holy places of Jerusalem. He demanded only one thing from Christians - not to raise a sword against Muslims.
But the Vatican was not going to give up, and preparations began for the Third Crusading Campaign, which began in 1189 under the leadership of the rulers of England - the king, France - Philip II and Germany - Emperor Frederick I. The Europeans could not find agreement and at first quarreled a lot, but after the death After the German emperor and the collapse of his army, only two armies remained on the side of the Catholics.
At first, the Christians even won. In 1191, after the capture of the city of Acre, Philip II hurried to return home, leaving the English king alone with the Saracen army.
Saladin did not keep himself waiting long and already on September 7, 1191, he launched a military operation near the city of Arsuf. The confrontation between the two armies ended a year later with the signing of a truce, which provided for the conflict-free existence of the two religions on the territory of Jerusalem with the predominance of Muslim power. Saladin honored Christian shrines and even prayed at the Holy Sepulcher. During the reign of the Sultan, not a single Christian temple was destroyed.
Personal life
Saladin, as a true Muslim, maintained several wives, but their names were not preserved in the chronicles. What is known is that after the death of Nur ad-Din, the widow of the Sultan, Ismat al-Din Khatun, became the wife of the next ruler. From her, Saladin had two sons - Ghazi and Daoud.
In total, according to historical data, Saladin had 4 or 5 wives, not counting concubines. 17 sons and a daughter were considered legitimate.
Death
Saladin was moving towards his goal - the restoration of the Arab Caliphate. To do this, at the end of 1192 he began preparations for a campaign against Baghdad. But at the end of February 1193 he suddenly fell ill.
Tomb of Saladin The cause of the disease was yellow fever. On March 4, Saladin died suddenly in the capital of Syria. The aspirations of the Sultan remained unfulfilled, and the kingdom he united was fragmented by his sons after his death into several territories.
Memory
The image of the great warrior and conqueror has repeatedly inspired writers and filmmakers to create works of art. One of the first Europeans to pay attention to the personality of Saladin was, who created the book “The Talisman”. The work is based on a description of the last Christian campaign against Jerusalem and the biography of Saladin.
In the film industry, the name of the commander appears in the film “Kingdom of Heaven,” which is also dedicated to the struggle of the Crusaders with Muslims. The role of the Egyptian Sultan was played by the Arab actor Ghassan Massoud, who, judging by the photo, has a great resemblance to the historical character. And in 2004, the animated series “Saladin” was released, the heroes of which were the brave inhabitants of Egypt and Syria, led by a young and wise ruler.
A talented commander, Muslim leader of the 12th century. Salah ad-Din was born in Tikrit, a Kurd by origin, a Sunni Muslim, the son of one of the military leaders of the ruler of Syria, Nur ad-Din.
Founder of the Ayyubid dynasty, which in its heyday ruled Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Hijaz and Yemen.
Early life
Salah ad-Din was born in 1138 in Tikrit (now the territory of Iraq) into a Kurdish family originating from the Principality of Cilicia. His father, Najm ad-Din Ayyub, was the ruler of Baalbek.
For several years, young Salah ad-Din lived in Damascus, receiving a varied education (including theological).
He was presented at the court of the then emir of Aleppo and Damascus, Nur ad-Din (Nureddin) Zengi, where many of his relatives served.
Under the leadership of one of them - his uncle Shirkuh - Salah ad-Din completed his military education in the wars with the Fatimid Caliphate in the 60s of the 12th century.
In 1169 he became vizier of Egypt, where he pursued a balanced and cautious policy. As a representative of Sunnism, Salah ad-Din could not greatly influence the army of Egypt, where the Ismaili caliph Al-Adid (1160-71) ruled.
When al-Adid died in September 1171, Salah ad-Din ordered the ulema to proclaim the name of al-Mustadi, the Abbasid caliph who ruled in Baghdad, before Friday prayers. This meant the removal of the previous line of rulers from power.
From that time on, Salah ad-Din ruled Egypt, although officially he represented Emir Nur ad-Din in this territory, who was recognized as the Baghdad caliph.
Salah ad-Din revived the Egyptian economy and reformed the army. Following his father's advice, he, however, avoided in every possible way any conflicts with Nur ad-Din, his formal overlord. Only after his death (1174) did Salah ad-Din take the title of Sultan of Egypt.
He restored Sunnism in Egypt and became the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty. For another decade, Salah ad-Din annexed the lands adjacent to his power. In 1174 he captured Hama and Damascus, and in 1175 - Aleppo.
First conquests
In 1163, the vizier Shewar ibn Mujir, expelled from Egypt by order of the Fatimid caliph al-Adid, asked Nur ad-Din for military support. This was a good reason for the conquest, and in 1164 Shirkukh marched to Egypt with an army. Salah ad-Din, at the age of 26, goes with him as a junior officer. Shewar, restored to the post of vizier, demanded the withdrawal of Shirkuh's troops from Egypt for 30,000 dinars, but he refused, citing the wishes of Nur ad-Din. Having discovered that Shirkukh plans to capture Egypt, Shevar ibn Mujir turns to King Amaury I of Jerusalem for help. The role of Salah ad-Din in this expedition was insignificant. It is only known that he participated in the preparations for the defense of Bilbeis, besieged by the combined forces of Shevar and Amaury I of Jerusalem.
After a three-month siege of Bilbeis, the opponents entered into battle on the border of the desert and the Nile, west of Giza. In this battle, Salah ad-Din played an important role, commanding the right wing of the Zangid army. Kurdish forces were on the left. Shirkukh was in the center. After Saladin's feint retreat, the Crusaders found themselves in terrain that was too steep and sandy for their horses. The battle ended in victory for the Zangids and Salah ad-Din helped Shirkukh win, according to Ibn al-Athir, one of the “most remarkable victories in the history of mankind,” but according to most sources, Shirkukh lost the majority of his army in this battle, and it could hardly be called a complete victory .
The crusaders settled in Cairo, and Salah ad-Din and Shirkuh moved to Alexandria, which gave them money and weapons, and became their base. After negotiations, both sides agreed to leave Egypt.
Egypt
Emir of Egypt
Asad ad-Din Shirkuh's attempt to capture Alexandria in 1167 ended in defeat from the combined forces of the Fatimid and Amalric I. But the following year, the crusaders began to plunder their rich ally and Caliph al-Adid asked Nur ad-Din in a letter to protect the Muslims of Egypt. In 1169, Asad al-Din Shirkuh took Egypt, executed Shewar and assumed the title of Grand Vizier. In the same year, Shirkuh died and despite the fact that Nur ad-Din chose a new successor, al-Adid appointed Saladin as the new vizier.
The reason why the Shiite caliph al-Adid chose the Sunni Salah ad-Din is still unclear. Ibn al-Athir claims that the caliph chose him after being told by his advisors that “there is no one weaker or younger” than Salah ad-Din, and “none of the emirs obey or serve him.” However, according to this version, after some negotiations, Salah ad-Din was accepted by the majority of the emirs. Al-Adid's advisers intended to break the ranks of the Zangids in this way. At the same time, Al-Wahrani wrote that Salah ad-Din was chosen because of his family's reputation for their "generosity and military honor." Imad ad-Din wrote that after the mourning for Shirkuh, “opinions were divided” and the Zangid caliphs put Saladin in charge and forced the caliph to “invest in a vizier.” And although the position was complicated by the competition of Islamic leaders, the bulk of the Syrian rulers supported Salah ad-Din for his achievements in the Egyptian expedition, in which he gained extensive military experience.
Having assumed the post of emir on March 26, 1169, Salah ad-Din repented “of drinking wine and turned away from frivolity, turning to religion.” Having gained greater power and independence than ever before in his career, he faces a problem of loyalty between al-Adid and Nur ad-Din. The latter was hostile to the appointment of Salah ad-Din and is rumored to have said: “How dare he [Salah ad-Din] do something without my order?” He wrote several letters to Salah ad-Din, who submitted them without abandoning his allegiance to Nur ad-Din.
In the same year, a group of Egyptian soldiers and emirs tried to kill Salah ad-Din, but thanks to the head of his intelligence, Ali bin Safyan, the main conspirator, the Sudanese eunuch, manager of the Fatimid palace, Naji Mutamin al-Khilafa, was arrested and killed. The next day, 50,000 Sudanese, for whom Naji was the representative of their interests in the court, rebelled against Salah ad-Din. By August 23, the uprising was suppressed, after which Saladin never again faced the threat of a riot in Cairo.
Towards the end of 1169, Salah ad-Din, with the support of Nur ad-Din, defeats the Crusader and Byzantine forces near Dumyat. Later, in the spring of 1170, Nur ad-Din, at the request of Saladin, sent his father to Cairo with encouragements from the Baghdad caliph al-Mustadi from the Abbasid clan, who was trying to put pressure on Saladin to quickly overthrow his rival al-Din. Adida.
After this, Saladin strengthened his power and Sunni influence in Egypt by distributing high positions to members of his family. He opens a branch of the Maliki madhhab in Cairo, which leads to a decrease in the influence of the Shafiite madhhab from al-Fustat.
After establishing himself in Egypt, Saladin began a campaign against the Crusaders, besieging Darum (modern Gaza) in 1170. Amalric I removed the Templar garrison from Gaza to defend Darum, but Salah ad-Din retreated from Darum and took . He destroyed the city outside the fortress and killed most of its inhabitants after they refused to surrender the city to him. It is not known exactly when, but in the same year, he attacked and captured the castle, which posed a threat to the passage of Muslim ships.
Sultan of Egypt
According to Imad ad-Din al-Isfahani, in June 1171, Nur ad-Din wrote many letters to Salah ad-Din, in which he demanded the establishment of the Abbasid caliphate in Egypt. The latter tried to remain silent, fearing to alienate the Shiite population and the nobility. Two months later, Salah ad-Din coordinated with Najdm al-Adin al-Qabushani, a Shafi faqih who was in opposition to Shiite rule in the country.
When al-Adid became ill (and possibly poisoned) by September 1171, he asked Salah ad-Din to visit him, with the expectation of asking him to take care of his children. Salah ad-Din refused, fearing to lose favor with the Abbasids, and is said to have subsequently been very sorry to learn of his intention.
Al-Adid died on September 13 and five days later, Salah ad-Din ordered the ulema to proclaim the name of al-Mustadi before Friday prayers. This meant the removal of the Shiite caliphate from power. From that time on, Salah ad-Din ruled Egypt, although officially he represented Emir Nur ad-Din in this territory, who was recognized as the Baghdad caliph.
On September 25, 1171, Salah ad-Din left Cairo to take part in the attack on Kerak and Montreal (the territory of modern Jordan), the castle. When it seemed that the fortress was ready to surrender, Salah ad-Din learned that Nur ad-Din had come from Syria to participate in the operation. Realizing that if he meets him in person, he will no longer rule Egypt, Salah ad-Din removes his camp and returns to Cairo under the pretext of the unrest that has begun in Egypt. This act increases tension in his difficult relationship with Nur ad-Din, to the point that the latter is about to march with an army on Cairo. After listening to his father, Salah ad-Din writes a letter of apology, but Nur ad-Din does not accept his excuses.
In the summer of 1172, the Nubian army besieged Aswan. Salah ad-Din's brother, Turan Shah, comes to the aid of the governor of Aswan. Although the Nubians were defeated, they returned again in 1173. This time the Egyptian army leaves Aswan and captures the Nubian city of Ibrim. Nur ad-Din does not take any steps against Egypt, but asks for the return of 200,000 dinars, which he allocated for Shirkuh's army. Salah ad-Din pays this debt with 60,000 dinars, jewelry and goods.
On August 9, 1173, Salah ad-Din's father Ayyub dies after falling from a horse, and Nur ad-Din, realizing that he has no influence left in Cairo, prepares to capture Egypt. In early 1174, Salah ad-Din sent Turan Shah on a campaign to capture the port of Aden and Yemen, a reserve bridgehead in case of an invasion of Egypt.
Annexation of Syria
Capture of Damascus
In the early summer of 1174, Nur ad-Din prepares an army to attack Egypt, gathering troops in Mosul, Diyarbakir and Al-Jazeera. The Ayyubids send an envoy to Salah ad-Din with this news, and he gathers his troops near Cairo. Suddenly, on May 15, Nur ad-Din dies (some sources speak of poisoning), leaving an eleven-year-old heir, al-Saleh. His death gives political independence to Salah ad-Din.
In order not to look like an invader of Syria and remain the leader of the fight against the crusaders, Salah ad-Din chooses the position of defender of al-Saleh. In a letter to the latter, he promises to "be as a sword", and refers to his father's death as an "earthquake". Already in October 1174, Salah ad-Din advanced a detachment of seven hundred cavalry to Damascus. Frightened al-Saleh and his advisers retreat to Aleppo, and people loyal to the family of Salah ad-Din allow the latter’s army into the city.
Further conquest
Leaving Damascus under the command of one of his brothers, Salah ad-Din proceeds to capture the cities previously owned by Nur ad-Din. His army captures Hama, but retreats to the well-fortified Homs. And when in December 1174, Salah ad-Din besieged Aleppo, young al-Saleh left the palace and appealed to the citizens with a request to protect the city for the sake of the memory of his father. One of Salah ad-Din’s chroniclers claimed that after this speech people “succumbed to his spell.” Fearing a direct conflict with al-Saleh, Salah ad-Din lifts the siege.
Al-Salah's advisers ask Rashid ad-Din Sinan for help. The Ismaili leader himself wants to take revenge on the man who removed the Fatimids from power in Egypt. On May 11, 1175, a group of thirteen assassins penetrates the camp of Salah ad-Din, but the guards notice them in time and prevent the assassination attempt. In 1177, in order to gain access to the sea, Salah ad-Din began to prepare to seize the territory of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. In October 1177, a battle takes place (otherwise known as the Battle of Ramla, in Islamic sources - the Battle of Tell As-Safit), where Salah ad-Din is defeated by troops.
Fighting the Crusaders
The most famous fact in Saladin's biography was his fight against the crusaders. These wars are reflected in numerous works of literature and art (the most famous is Walter Scott's novel The Talisman).
Salah ad-Din united the forces of Muslims to fight against the crusaders.
The main opponent of the crusaders was respected in Christian Europe for his knightly virtues: courage and generosity towards the enemy.
Richard I the Lionheart, one of the main leaders of the crusaders, became almost a friend of Salah ad-Din: they spoke of each other extremely enthusiastically, provided various benefits to each other’s subjects, and saw each other only once, during the truce in the crusade.
After a two-year siege, the crusaders managed to return, and then.
Death
Saladin died during preparations for the campaign against Baghdad to restore the former Arab caliphate.
He was buried there and mourned throughout the East as a defender of the faith.
In the history of the East, Saladin remains the conqueror who stopped the invasion of the West and turned the forces of Islam on the West, the hero who overnight united these unbridled forces, and who embodied in his personality the highest ideals and virtues of Islam.
After the death of the Sultan, his empire was divided by his heirs: Al-Aziz got Egypt, al-Afzal - Damascus, al-Zahir - Aleppo.
Photo gallery
Helpful information
Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub
Arab. صلاح الدين يوسف ابن ايوب
Yusif ibn Ayyub (Yusif son of Ayyub) - the name given to him at birth
Salah ad-Din - an honorific name meaning "Honor of Faith"
In Europe he is better known as Saladin.
English Saladin
Sources
There are many sources written by Salah ad-Din's contemporaries. Of these, it is worth highlighting the works of personal biographers and historians: Baha ad-Din ibn Shaddad - Salah ad-Din's teacher and adviser, Ibn al-Athir - a historian from Mosul, al-Qadi al-Fadil - Salah ad-Din's personal secretary.
Quotes
“I started by accompanying my uncle. He conquered Egypt and then died. And then Allah gave me power that I did not expect at all.”
“My army is not capable of anything unless I lead it and watch over it every moment.”
Salah ad-Din
Family
According to Imad ad-Din, before Saladin left Egypt in 1174, he fathered five sons. Al-Afdal, his eldest son, who was born in 1170, and Uthman, who was born in 1172, accompanied Saladin to Syria.
The third son, Al-Zahir Ghazi later became the ruler of Aleppo. Al-Afdal's mother gave birth to another child in 1177.
According to Kalgashandi, the twelfth son was born in 1178, and at the same time in the list of Imad ad-Din he appears as the seventh child.
Memory of Salah ad-Din in the modern world
Salah ad-Din, the main opponent of the crusaders, still enjoyed great respect in Christian Europe for his knightly qualities: courage in battle and generosity towards the defeated enemy. One of the main leaders of the crusaders, Richard the Lionheart, even considered Saladin almost a friend.
Salah ad-Din was the idol of Saddam Hussein, who, like him, was born in Tikrit, on the Tigris River; Under Saddam, there was a cult of Salah ad-Din in Iraq.
Modern mass culture (films and computer games) does not forget Salah ad-Din either. In popular culture, it is Salah ad-Din who is most often shown as the commander and ruler of the Saracens during the Third Crusade - although there were many others, Salah ad-Din gained the greatest fame. The character of Salah ad-Din appears in the film “Kingdom of Heaven” (2005, dir. Ridley Scott, in the role of Saladin - Ghassan Massoud), as well as in the film “Arn: Knight Templar” (2007, dir. Peter Flint), where he presented as a wise and noble warrior and leader.
Saladin has repeatedly appeared in computer games: in games such as Age of Empires II and Stronghold Crusader, there is a campaign for his troops (he is also one of the computer opponents in the game Stronghold Crusader).
Participation in wars:
Consolidation of the possessions of the Syrian emirs. Wars with the Crusaders.
Participation in battles: Conquest of Egypt. Conquest of Hama. Conquest of Damascus. Battle of Hulme. Siege of Mosul. Battle of Mezaphat. Battle of Hattin. Capture of Acre. Capture of Ascalon. Capture of Jerusalem.
(Saladin) Outstanding commander, founder of the Ayyubid dynasty, ruler of Egypt
Saladin was the son Ayyuba and nephew Shirkufa- 2 Kurdish military leaders who distinguished themselves in service Sultan Nureddin, who continued the work of his father, the Mosul atabek Imadoddina Zenti, was able to unite the possessions of countless Syrian emirs, take Edessa from the crusaders and constrain their state from all sides.
Nureddin installed Ayyub as leader of the newly annexed Damascus in 1154, and sent Saladin to Egypt in 1169, ordering him to be taken away from Fatimid caliphs, whose power has weakened quite a bit. In 1169, having overthrown the last Fatimid Adad, Saladin's uncle died Shirkukh, who exercised Nureddin's power over the conquered lands. Power over Egypt completely passed to Saladin.
Soon he began to behave quite independently in relation to Nureddin. The Sultan immediately began to prepare a campaign to pacify Saladin, but in the midst of preparations he unexpectedly died. Saladin entered Syria, where he assumed the title of Sultan, and began to rapidly eliminate Nureddin's incapable successors.
For a whole decade, Saladin fought to unite the surrounding lands around his power.
In 1174 he captured Hama and Damascus, in 1175 took Aleppo in 1176. defeated the troops Seyfeddine of Mosul at Khalma and in the same year, after a stubborn struggle, he made peace with the Syrian assassins.
In continuation of 1182 and 1185. Saladin besieged Mosul, after which the Mosul atabek Izzeddin recognized his supremacy. From that moment on, Egypt and Syria, together with the small Mesopotamian states, were completely included in the united state of Saladin, and now he decided to expel the crusaders, whom he persistently fought in 1177-1179.
June 10, 1179 Saladin in Battle of Mezaphat defeated the united army Baldwin the Leper and Raymond III.
July 4-5, 1187 battle of Hattin Saladin utterly defeated the combined forces of Jerusalem and Tripoli. Soon after this, an impressive part of Palestine and the cities of Acre, Ascalon and, finally, on October 2, 1187, Jerusalem itself fell to Saladin. He could not take possession of Tire only, because in 1188 he was able to defend it Conrad of Montferrat. The Saracens also did not have a triumph at Tripoli and Antioch.
Meanwhile, new reinforcements arrived from Europe for the crusaders, who in 1189 led the siege of Acre. With the arrival of the troops of the King of England Richard the Lionheart and the King of France Philip Augustus the city was forced to capitulate in 1191. Despite the fact that according to the agreement concluded with Saladin Richard I Before his departure from Palestine, he abandoned the conquest of Jerusalem; the year 1192 began a streak of failures for Saladin. A few months later, Saladin died of fever.
Among the eastern leaders of this time, Saladin stood out for his admirable political farsightedness and such courage that even the crusaders bowed before. But despite this, the emirs of remote provinces showed disrespect behind the back of their overlord. All this led to the fact that after the death of Saladin, the state he created went into regression.
Biography
The history of Islam was shaped by the contributions of outstanding personalities who had a significant influence on the development of a number of Asian, African and European countries. First of all, thanks to victories under the banner of protecting Islam.
One of these prominent characters can be safely called the great commander and ruler of the Muslim East, Yusuf ibn Ayup Salah ad-Din. The man known in the Western world as Saladin became famous after his army defeated the Crusaders in the Battle of Jerusalem. It was he who managed to unite the territories of modern Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Palestine, Libya and Hijaz, creating a powerful Islamic state that Europeans had to reckon with.
Saladin's childhood and youth
Salah ad-Din was born in 1137 (according to Miladi) in the Iraqi city of Tikrit, predominantly inhabited by Kurds, in the family of Ayup ibn Shadi, the emir of this city. A couple of years later, he became the emir of Balbec, and in 1146 Saladin’s father moved to Damascus, where over time he became one of the most influential people in the capital.
As a child, the hero of our publication did not show much interest in the art of war, but was more interested in learning about Islam. But at the insistence of his family, he nevertheless begins a military career. His first teacher was his uncle Shirkukh, one of the army commanders of the ruler of Syria and Mesopotamia, Nur ad-Din.
Saladin received his first combat experience at the age of 26, as a junior officer during the campaign against Egypt. In that military campaign, Yusuf ibn Ayup proved himself to be a brave commander who contributed to the victory of Shirkuh's army. However, almost immediately after the capture of Egypt, Shirkuh died, and therefore his nephew Salah ad-Din, appointed Caliph Adid, became the new emir of the province.
Nbeginning of reign
Having become the ruler of Egypt, he begins active opposition to the expansion of the Crusaders in the region. In 1170, Saladin besieged the Darum fortress located in Palestine. Despite the failure (he failed to take the fortress - here and further approx. website) , he annexed the territory of the Gaza Strip to Egypt. A little later, his army captured Eilat by siege. (city in modern Israel), thanks to which ships belonging to Muslims ceased to be attacked by the Crusaders.
In 1174, the Syrian ruler Nur ad-Din dies. As a result, Saladin becomes the independent ruler of Egypt.
The death of the head of state led to the weakening of Syria and Mesopotamia. These regions could sooner or later be conquered by the Crusaders. In such a situation, the young Egyptian ruler decides to seize Syria and thereby expand his possessions.
This is how Yusuf ibn Ayup became at the helm of the Muslim empire, which included the territories of modern Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
Salah ad-Din's capture of Jerusalem
In order to secure his state from external aggression, Saladin decided to capture Jerusalem and expel the Crusaders from the Holy Land. However, he understood perfectly well that he was unlikely to be able to take a well-fortified city. An experienced commander decides to lure the crusader army out of the fortress. To do this, he had to resort to cunning.
In 1187, his Muslim army besieged the fortress of Tiberias, located near Jerusalem. Almost immediately, a messenger was sent from the besieged city to ask the crusaders for help. Without any hesitation, the King of Jerusalem, Guy de Lusignan, responded to the plea of his fellow believers and sent troops to the walls of the neighboring city. Salah ad-Din's trick was successful, and the army of the kingdom advanced towards Tiberias.
The crusaders had to cover only 20 kilometers, but the large Christian army stretched for kilometers. The dry and hot climate of Palestine and the lack of water negatively affected the condition of the soldiers from Jerusalem, who had difficulty moving around the area. It was for this reason that the crusaders were unable to reach water sources before sunset, and they were forced to stop for the night in the village of Hattin, near which there was no fresh water.
At night, Saladin's subjects set fire to the dry bushes around the enemy camp. The acrid smoke made it difficult for the Jerusalem army, exhausted from the march and thirst, to breathe. Under such conditions, a large group of crusaders ran over to the enemy’s side, passing on all the information about the plans of the Christian army and the available resources. Moreover, the royal infantry, seeing the advancing Arabs, refused to fight the Muslims.
As a result, a key battle took place in the town of Hattin between the army of Guy de Lusignan and the Muslim army led by Salah ad-Din, in which the latter won a landslide victory. During the battle, the king of Jerusalem died, and many of his entourage were captured by the Arabs.
The victory in Hattin opened the way for the Muslims to Jerusalem, because most of its garrison died during that battle. In September 1187, Saladin's 20,000-strong army approached the walls of the “city of three religions” and began a siege. The enemy’s defense was led by Balian Ivelin, one of the representatives of the Jerusalem nobility, who managed to escape from encirclement in the Battle of Hattin and miraculously escaped. The number of Arab troops was many times greater than the garrison of Jerusalem, which predetermined the outcome of the campaign.
On October 2, 1187, 12 days after the start of the siege, Balian Ivelin agreed to surrender the city in exchange for a guarantee of the safety of its Christian inhabitants. Salah ad-Din, having entered the fortress, kept his promise and allowed Christians who wanted to leave the city to freely leave the Holy Land.
In addition, Christians who remained in Jerusalem were given the right to practice their religion and make pilgrimages to holy places, in particular, to visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The Muslim ruler guaranteed the personal safety of all Christian pilgrims arriving in the Holy Land.
The capture of Jerusalem made Saladin a famous and respected person throughout the world. He had great authority in Christian Europe, although in fact he was the main enemy of Catholics. The great warrior who defended the flag of Islam was respected for his chivalrous character traits, such as courage and respect for the enemy.
Death of Saladin
After the annexation of Jerusalem, Yusuf ibn Ayup Salah ad-Din intended to restore the former borders of the Arab. This task implied the need to subjugate Baghdad, which at that time still remained independent. But in the process of preparing for a new campaign, Saladin caught yellow fever, as a result of which he died in March 1193.
After the death of the great commander and ruler, the empire that had been assembled with great difficulty fell apart, and the ruins of the Muslim state were divided among his sons.
